Indigenous Medicinal Plants in Mexico: the Example of the Nahua (Sierra de Zongolica)

As in most peasant cultures medicinal plants are a very important resource for the Nahua of the Sierra de Zongolica (Mexico). Documentation of the current indigenous medicinal uses of 203 plants in this region was conducted during 18 months of fieldwork. The 816 individual reports documented were divided into nine groups of indigenous uses. The frequency of usage of the individual plants reported was employed in the analysis of the ethnobotanical importance of the respective plants. Plants cited more frequently in a group of indigenous uses are regarded as of greater ethnobotanical importance than those cited only by a few informants. Data on phytochemistry, pharmacology and ethnobotany from the scientific literature were used to evaluate possible biological or pharmacological and toxicological effects of some particularly important plants. For most plants detailed studies on these actions are still lacking, which would allow a conclusive evaluation. This ethnobotanical evaluation forms the basis for such studies which have been started on some plants, and for better understanding their potential as minor economic products of the region. These uses may also give incentives to the conservation of the local biodiversity.     

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Plants Used for the Treatment of Stomach,Diabetes, and Ophthalmic Diseases in Sudhan Gali,Kashmir , Pakistan

The present paper represents the ethnopharmacological survey of Sudhan Gali, Kashmir, Pakistan. The study revealed that 12 plant species belonging to 11 families were used for the treatment of stomach, diabetes and ophthalmic diseases by the local people in Sudhan Gali. Achillea millefolium , Aconitum heterophyllum, Berberis lycium, Polygonum amplexicaule, Mentha longifolia, Paeonia emodi, Plantago lanceolata were locally used for stomach related problems treatment; Berberis lycium, Skimmia lareola, Solanum dulcamara for diabetes and Geranium wallichianum, Artemisia vulgaris, Solanum dulcamara, and Corydalis crassifolia used for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. Two species Berberis lycium and Solanum dulcamara have multipurpose value. Former is used to treat stomach as well as diabetes while latter is used to treat not only to diabetes but also ophthalmic diseases. According to IUCN categories , out of these 12 plant species collected and marketed, Polygonum amplexicaule and Paeonia emodi are endangered, Aconitum heterophyllum; Berberis lycium species are vulnerable while Plantago lanceolata and Skimmia lareola species are rare.The availability of these medicinal plants has decreased during the past 20 years and these are facing a drastic biotic pressure due to their extensive usage and non-scientific methods of collection. It is quite evident that these valuable native medicinal plants species are going to decline in number and ultimately will become extinct if no timely proper conservation strategies are adopted.     

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Plants Used for the Treatment of Stomach,Diabetes, and Ophthalmic Diseases in Sudhan Gali,Kashmir , Pakistan

The present paper represents the ethnopharmacological survey of Sudhan Gali, Kashmir, Pakistan. The study revealed that 12 plant species belonging to 11 families were used for the treatment of stomach, diabetes and ophthalmic diseases by the local people in Sudhan Gali. Achillea millefolium , Aconitum heterophyllum, Berberis lycium, Polygonum amplexicaule, Mentha longifolia, Paeonia emodi, Plantago lanceolata were locally used for stomach related problems treatment; Berberis lycium, Skimmia lareola, Solanum dulcamara for diabetes and Geranium wallichianum, Artemisia vulgaris, Solanum dulcamara, and Corydalis crassifolia used for the treatment of ophthalmic diseases. Two species Berberis lycium and Solanum dulcamara have multipurpose value. Former is used to treat stomach as well as diabetes while latter is used to treat not only to diabetes but also ophthalmic diseases. According to IUCN categories , out of these 12 plant species collected and marketed, Polygonum amplexicaule and Paeonia emodi are endangered, Aconitum heterophyllum; Berberis lycium species are vulnerable while Plantago lanceolata and Skimmia lareola species are rare.The availability of these medicinal plants has decreased during the past 20 years and these are facing a drastic biotic pressure due to their extensive usage and non-scientific methods of collection. It is quite evident that these valuable native medicinal plants species are going to decline in number and ultimately will become extinct if no timely proper conservation strategies are adopted.     

Two Medicinal Plants (Alkanna trichophila and Convolvulus galaticus) from Turkey: Chemical Characterization and Biological Perspectives

The aim of the present study was to quantify selected phenolic compounds, determine antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory effects of the aerial parts of Alkanna trichophylla Hub.-Mor. (A. trichophylla) and Convolvulus galaticus Rost.ex Choisy (C. galaticus) extracts prepared by homogenizer-assisted extraction (HAE), maceration (MAC) and infusion techniques. This is the first time such study has been designed to validate the phytochemical composition and bioactivity of these plants. Multivariate analysis was conducted on collected data. Rutin and caffeoylquinic acid derivatives were the most significant compounds in A. trichophylla and C. galaticus, respectively. The highest antioxidant activity of A. trichophylla was mostly exhibited by HAE/methanolic extracts as determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP (51.39, 112.70 and 145.73 mg TE/g, respectively) and phosphomolybdenum (2.05 mmol TE/g) assays. However, significant antioxidant activities varied within the extracts of C. galaticus. HAE/methanolic extract of A. trichophylla significantly depressed AChE (2.70 mg GALAE/g), BChE (5.53 mg GALAE/g) and tyrosinase (26.34 mg KAE/g) activities and that of C. galaticus inhibited AChE (2.04 mg GALAE/g), tyrosinase (31.25 mg KAE/g) and α-amylase (0.53 mmol ACAE/g) activities significantly. We concluded that HAE was the most efficient extraction technique as high yield of compounds and promising bioactivities were recorded from extracts prepared. Multivariate analysis showed that types of solvents influenced recovery of compounds and biological activities. This research study can be used as one methodological starting point for further investigation on these plants as all results are clearly promising and open the door to further research challenges such as cytotoxicity evaluation, molecular docking analysis, and more screening of pharmacological actions.     

药用植物基因组及EST研究

以生物信息学数据库GenBank的生物信息为基础 ,对包括《中国药典》2 0 0 0年版一部、《新编中药志》第 1～ 3卷、《中国大百科全书》(中国传统医学分册 )、中国医学科学院药物研究所编写的《中草药现代研究》及《天然药物化学》第三版中所涉及的 2 30 0多种药用植物的基因组、蛋白质及表达序列标签 (EST)的注册情况进行了初步统计 ,就相关进展进行了综述。到 2 0 0 3年 9月底截止的数据分析表明 ,66%的药用植物没有核酸序列报道 ,77%的药用植物没有蛋白质序列注册。进行药用植物基因组研究的植物与国家十分有限 ,而进行药用植物EST研究的国家相对较多 ,涉及的植物也相对集中 。     

广西靖西端午节药市民族药用植物数据库系统的设计与构建

药用植物数据库的建立与相关数据挖掘,对民族药物学的研究具有重要意义。该研究在顶层设计的基础上,对广西靖西端午节药市及周边地区实地调查时获得的药用植物标本和照片进行形态学特征、药用价值、民族传统利用方式等信息的整理,由此设计和建立开放的民族药用植物数据库系统。主要应用Microsoft Office Access和Java编程对数据进行管理、查询和统计,通过提取药用植物特征的不同权值来计算不同科属和类别之间的相似度。结果表明:该数据库系统能以柱状图或饼状图的形式将数据之间的关系直观地展示出来,从而反映出各种植物特征和各种功能属性之间的联系。同时该数据库系统还可以用于数据的管理、检索和查询相关民族药用植物的背景资料、药用价值等信息,并能进行相应的统计分析,有利于挖掘数据和发现新线索。     

药用植物细胞生物反应器技术的研究进展

利用植物细胞生物反应器技术生产植物有用代谢产物,近些年来取得了很大发展,但植物细胞悬浮培养的工业化应用仍受到来自生物及工程技术上的限制。针对植物细胞生物反应器技术的特点及其研究进展,提出在综合考虑生物学和工艺学两方面的基础上,选育药用植物稳定高产的优良细胞系是提高植物细胞生物反应器技术可行性的关键。     

Medicinal Plants in the Atlantic Forest (Brazil): Knowledge, Use, and Conservation

This study focuses on knowledge of medicinal plants among the Caiçaras (rural inhabitants of the Atlantic Forest coast, Brazil). In particular, we examine the use of medicinal plants according to sex and age to reveal general patterns of Caiçara knowledge and use of plant resources. Data collected through 449 interviews at 12 Caiçara communities (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo coastal sites) include citations of 249 plants and identification of 227 species. We show the importance of introduced as opposed to native plants and of key individuals for the conservation of the Caiçaras-Atlantic Forest.     

Three new species of Callulina (Amphibia: Anura: Brevicipitidae) highlight local endemism and conservation plight of Africa's Eastern Arc forests

Material ascribed to the genus Callulina from north‐east Tanzania and south‐east Kenya is assessed. Three new species of Callulina are described from the North ( Callulina laphami sp. nov. ) and South ( Callulina shengena sp. nov. and Callulina stanleyi sp. nov. ) Pare Mountains in Tanzania. The species are diagnosed based on morphological, acoustic, and molecular data. A new key to the species of Callulina is provided. Based on an interpretation of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, we suggest that the three species will qualify as critically endangered, because of their small distributions and the ongoing threat to their habitat. We reveal the high local endemism of Callulina in the northern part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, with each species restricted to no more than one mountain (fragment) block. This high local endemism in Callulina is probably widespread across the Eastern Arc, raising further conservation concern for this group of amphibians. Based on new molecular phylogenetic data for Callulina, we discuss biogeographical relationships among north‐east Tanzanian mountains, and evolutionary patterns in Eastern Arc breviciptids. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160 , 496–514.     

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Plants Used for the Treatment of Stomach, Diabetes, and Ophthalmic Diseases in Sudhan Gali, Kashmir, Pakistan

IntroductionSudhan Gali is situated at about2100mabovesea level andlies between latitude34°3′35″-34°6′35″andlongitude73°44′30″-70°48′15″.It is60kmawayfromState Capital Muzaffarabad,Kashmir,Pakistan.The highest point of Sudhan Gali is Ganga Choti.Itsheight is about3045m,whichis famous for its fasci-natinglandscape.The soil of Sudhan Gali varies fromclay loamtosandyloamand calcareousin nature.Itis veryshallowon slopes and deep in valley floors.The area has ex-treme climate with…     

抗抑郁药用植物研究进展

近年来,虽然药用植物被用于临床治疗精神紊乱和行为异常等相关性疾病,如:抑郁、焦虑、癫痫、记忆力衰退、失眠、老年痴呆和药物中毒等,但是,有关药用植物抗抑郁作用的研究性报道较少,且不够系统。本综述主要归纳和总结了具有抗抑郁作用的药用植物及其活性提取物,包括药用植物粗提物和单体活性成分等天然产物,为充分开发利用我国药用植物资源以及民间传统用药提供科学依据,促进高效安全抑郁症治疗方法的研究。     

药用植物内生放线菌的分离、筛选及活性菌株YIM 61470鉴定

从云南西双版纳热带雨林多种药用植物中分离到272株内生放线菌,活性筛选表明 146株菌的发酵产物具有抗菌活性,其中94株菌具有拮抗病原细菌活性,127株菌具有抑制病原真菌的功能.分离菌株YIM 61470具有广谱抗菌活性,通过形态特征、培养特征、生理生化特征、细胞化学分类特征和基于16S rRNA基因序列的相似性分析等研究,菌株YIM 61470被鉴定为链霉菌属(Streptomyces)氢化链霉菌(S.llydrogenans)的一个菌株.     

海南岛西南地区某些药用植物微量元素的生物吸收和含量变化

本文研究海南岛西南地区１２种不同类型药用植物微量元素的生物吸收系数（Ａｘ）及其含量水平变化特性。     

云南省腾冲县药用维管植物资源与多样性

研究区域药用植物资源的分布与多样性,可为区域药用植物资源保护和开发利用提供科学依据。于2010-2011年期间,采用野外调查、标本采集、文献资料与标本查阅等方法,对腾冲县药用维管植物资源进行了系统研究。结果表明:腾冲县有药用维管植物153科450属651种,其中蕨类植物32科51属68种,裸子植物仅有3科3属4种,被子植物118科396属579种。腾冲县药用植物优势科为唇形科、菊科和豆科。从药用部位来看,全草类植物比例较高,其次是根和根茎类。按药用功效划分,腾冲药用维管植物以清热、祛风湿和活血化瘀类药用植物居多。在此基础上,提出了加强县域药用植物种质资源合理开发和有效保护的建议与措施。     

药用植物资源利用的一种分析模型

在系统分析药用植物资源利用的各方面因素基础上,以资源利用模式为研究切入点,提出了一个基于资源利用模式和模式形成路径的分析模型（Pattem—Path Model）,用于整体分析某一药用体系中植物资源的开发利用水平和发展过程。应用该分析模型对2005版中国药典使用的药用植物资源（549种高等植物）进行了分析,结果表明：中国药典中应用的药用植物,其资源利用发展较成熟（供应持续性良好的植物资源占79％,暂不能持续供应的占21％）;但是资源利用的发展过程不尽合理（部分植物资源的栽培开展滞后于野生资源的枯竭,占40％）。该结论与已有定性评价观点相一致,并量化地体现出资源利用的发展水平和发展过程,能够推广应用到其他药用体系的资源利用分析,为药用植物资源的利用管理提供决策依据。     

Antagonistic,Anti-oxidant,Anti-inflammatory and Anti-diabetic Probiotic Potential of Lactobacillus agilis Isolated From the Rhizosphere of the Medicinal Plants

Potential probiotic bacteria can be used as a biotherapeutic agent and a sustainable alternative to antibiotics, as an anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic agent without causing any serious side effects. Mostly human-friendly Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been isolated from the animal-human origin to be used as biotherapeutic agents or to produce useful metabolites (nutraceutical). However, less information is known about the role of medicinal plants associated LAB as biotherapeutic agents. The isolation of 115 human-friendly Lactobacillus strains was done from the rhizosphere of the medicinal plants Ocimum tenuiflorum, Azadirachta indica, Ficus carica. The obtained bacteria were then tested for their safe status before being using it for a beneficial purpose. Out of 115 strains, 29 (25%) were negative for blood hemolytic activities. Among these 29 isolates, three isolates did not show a breakdown of gelatin and were recognized as safe. Antibiotic resistance assay showed resistance of two of them against antibiotics discs of Streptomycin (10 µg), Ciprofloxacin (20 µg), Vancomycin (30 µg), Metronidazole (10 µg), Ampicillin (5 µg), Chloramphenicol (30 µg), Kanamycin (30 µg), Erythromycin (15 µg), Penicillin (10 µg) and Tetracycline (30 µg). The bacterial isolate (T-2) was found safe that was identified as Lactobacillus agilis by sequence analysis of 16 s rRNA gene and processed in vitro as an anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory agent. Free radical scavenging activities and inhibition of α-amylase activities for Lactobacillus agilis were found relative to standard drug values as 68% and 73% and 51.3% and 65.3%, respectively. The in-vitro anti-inflammatory assay showed 61.6% (Lactobacillus agilis) while showed 69% (aspirin) activity for denaturation albumin protein. The results suggested that Lactobacillus agilis can be used as a potential probiotic strain as well as can be used to produce nutraceuticals.     

青海峡群国家森林公园常见野生药用植物调查初报

通过线路调查、文献查阅、民间访谈等方法调查了青海省峡群国家森林公园的常见药用植物。结果表明,该区常见药用植物有128种,分属41科95属,科属分布中,以单种科最多,占总科比65%。生活型以草本植物为主(占比72.62%),入药部位以全草入药占多数(占比72.62%);按药效分,以清热(32.43%)、解表(31.53%)、化湿(27.02%)三类占多数。该区还分布有冬虫夏草、柴胡、羌活、大黄等价值较大的药用植物。调查结果可为今后该区野生药用植物资源的保护与可持续开发利用提供参考。     

Evaluation of Antioxidant Effectiveness of a Few Herbal Plants

We have screened a number of plants from the Indian soil for potential antioxidant properties out of which fifteen extracts were found to be positive. Leaves/bulk from the plants were crushed and extracted with organic solvents by three different ways. The first group of plants were extracted with CHCL₃:CH₃OH (2:1), evaporated, partitioned between petroleum ether and methanol (9:1), aqueous methanolic part re-partitioned between methanol: H₂O (4:1) and dichloromethane. Methanol was evaporated from the aqueous methanolic part and extracted with n-butanol. The second group of plants were extracted with methanol followed by partitioning between petroleum ether and CH₃OH. The rest of the extraction procedure was the same as above. A third extraction procedure was used for Ocimum sanctum which after extraction with CHCL₃:CH₃OH (2:l), partitioned between CCL₄ and CH₃OH:H₂O (9:1). Aqueous methanolic part was repartitioned between CH₃OH:H₂O (4:1) and CHCI₃ and CHCI₃ soluble part was used for the study. Free radical scavenging activities of the plant extracts were examined by chemiluminescence method. Peroxyl radical was generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), superoxide radical (O₂-_-) from xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XO) and hydroxyl radical (OH) from Xanthine/XO/ FeCl_J EDTA. In addition, O₂-_- and OH. scavenging activities were also determined by cytochrome C reduction and deoxyribose oxidation methods, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that these plant extracts possess potent antioxidant activities.     

A new species of giant sengi or elephant-shrew (genus Rhynchocyon) highlights the exceptional biodiversity of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania

A new species of sengi, or elephant-shrew, is described. It was discovered in the northern Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in 2005. Sengis (Order Macroscelidea, super-cohort Afrotheria) include four genera and 15 species of mammals that are endemic to Africa. This discovery is a significant contribution to the systematics of this small order. Based on 49 camera trap images, 40 sightings and five voucher specimens, the new sengi is diurnal and distinguished from the other three species of Rhynchocyon by a grizzled grey face, pale yellow to cream chest and chin, orange-rufous sides, maroon back and jet-black lower rump and thighs. The body weight of the new species is about 700 g, which is 25–50% greater than any other giant sengi. The new Rhynchocyon is only known from two populations that cover about 300 km² of montane forest. It has an estimated density of 50–80 individuals km⁻². This discovery has important implications for the conservation of the high biodiversity that is found in the forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains.