Antioxidant, antiglycation and cytotoxicity evaluation of selected medicinal plants of the Mascarene Islands.

Background: Many indigenous plants of Mascarene Islands have been used in folkloric medicine to manage diabetes but few species have received scientific attention. Selected traditional medicinal plants (Antidesma madagascariense Lam. -Euphorbiaceae (AM), Erythroxylum macrocarpum O.

In vitro modulation of oxidative burst via release of reactive oxygen species from immune cells by extracts of selected tropical medicinal herbs and food plants.

Objective: To evaluate in vitro immunomodulating properties and potential cytotoxicity of six tropical medicinal herbs and food plants namely Antidesma madagascariense (Euphorbiaceae) (AM), Erythroxylum macrocarpum (Erythroxylaceae) (EM), Faujasiopsis flexuosa (Asteraceae) (FF), Pittosporum senacia (Pittosporaceae) (PS), Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) (MC) and Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) (OT).

Methods: Initially, the crude water and methanol extracts were probed for their capacity to trigger immune cells' NADPH oxidase and MPO-dependent activities as measured by lucigenin- and luminol-amplified chemiluminescence, respectively; as compared to receptor-dependent (serum opsonised zymosan- OPZ) or receptor-independent phorbol myristerate acetate (PMA).

Results: Preliminary screening on whole human blood oxidative burst activity showed significant and concentration-dependent immunomodulating properties of three plants AM, FF and OT.

In vitro and in vivo activity of Aloe vera leaf exudate in experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

The leishmanicidal activity of Aloe vera leaf exudate (AVL) has been demonstrated in promastigotes and axenic amastigotes, but its effectiveness in animal models has not been evaluated. The presence of alkaloids, triterpenes, cyanidines, proanthocyanidines, tannins, and saponins in AVL was identified. Its effectiveness in four Leishmania donovani strains was studied both in promastigotes (IC50 ranged from 70-115 microg/ml) and amastigotes (IC50 ranged from 3.

Constituents of Psiadia terebinthina A.J. Scott, an endemic Asteraceae from Mauritius.

Kaemferol-3-methyl ether (1), quercetin-3-methyl ether (2), kaemferol-3,7-dimethyl ether (3), 3-caffeoyl quinic acid (4) and 3,4-O-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (5) have been isolated for the first time from the leaves of Psiadia terebinthina A.J. Scott (Asteraceae).

Screening for anti-infective properties of several medicinal plants of the Mauritians flora.

Several plants of the Mauritian flora alleged to possess anti-infective properties were studied against different strains of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The grounded dried plant materials were extracted with different extractants and screened for anti-microbial activity using the disk diffusion and the micro-dilution techniques. Preliminary screening revealed that the methanol extracts were most active.

Medicinal plants: traditions of yesterday and drugs of tomorrow.

Plants have provided Man with all his needs in terms of shelter, clothing, food, flavours and fragrances as not the least, medicines. Plants have formed the basis of sophisticated traditional medicine systems among which are Ayurvedic, Unani, Chinese amongst others. These systems of medicine have given rise to some important drugs still in use today.

Experimental evidence for in vitro fluid transport in the presence of a traditional medicinal fruit extract across rat everted intestinal sacs.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of aqueous fruit extract of Momordica charantia (MC), a traditional medicinal plant, on the transport of fluid in vitro. Everted intestinal sacs from rats were mounted in an organ bath containing Krebs solution. We compared the effect of MC extract on water transport with increasing inorganic phosphate concentration with or without D-glucose in the buffer.

Chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activities of the essential oils from endemic Psiadia species growing in mauritius.

The composition of the leaf oils, obtained by hydrodistillation, of five endemic Psiadia species of the Asteraceae family were studied by GC/MS on both polar and non-polar columns. The analysis showed that the volatile components of the oils were made up essentially of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, aliphatics and other shikimic acid derivatives. With respect to the non-volatile components, great variations were observed: P.

Momordica charantia extracts inhibit uptake of monosaccharide and amino acid across rat everted gut sacs in-vitro.

The inhibitory effects of Momordica charantia extracts were studied on the uptake of glucose and tyrosine across rat everted gut sacs in vitro. The aqueous extract of the plant was found to inhibit primarily the uptake of glucose in a dose-dependent manner. Uptake of tyrosine was affected at high substrate concentrations only.