Volume 10
Number 4
2003

CONTENTS

ARTICLES

Traditional Medicinal Practices Among the Igede People
of Nigeria    1

J. O. Igoli
I. C. Igwue
N. P. Igoli

An ethnobotanical survey of the Igede-speaking areas of Nigeria indicated that over 30 taxa of plants were used in traditional medicines. The use of traditional medicine was observed to be widespread and prevalent over orthodox medicine. A total of 31 prescriptions for different kinds of ailments or therapeutic indications were noted. Mixtures of plants were used in many cases.

KEYWORDS. Ethnobotany, herbalists, medicinal plants, traditional medicines

Effect of NPK Fertilizer Levels on Morphological
Characteristics and Productivity of Colchicum
hierosolymitanum and Colchicum tunicatum    11

M. Al-Fayyad
F. Alali
A. Al-Tell

Colchicine, a drug used as an anti-inflammatory to treat gout condition and in tubulin-binding studies, is still obtained mainly from the meadow saffron Colchicum autumnale L. Corms of two related Jordanian species Colchicum hierosolymitanum Feibrun and Colchicum tunicatum Feibrun (Liliaceae) were collected, identified, and planted in the field at four NPK fertilizer levels. Fertilizer rates significantly modified (P < 0.05) both corm yield production and morphological characteristics such as leaf number, corm weight, and leaf area of the two species studied. Flowering and vegetation periods of the two species are also reported.

KEYWORDS. Jordan medicinal plants, colchicine, Liliaceae

Hypoglycemic Activity of Aqueous Extract of Eucalyptus
globulus in Normal and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats    19

Hassan Jouad
Mhamed Maghrani
Rabii Ameziane El Hassani
Mohamed Eddouks

Single and repeated oral administration of the aqueous extract of Eucalyptus globulus leaves at the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg body weight exhibited a significant, dose-dependent hypoglycemic effect in streptozotocin diabetic rats. In rats with a normal functioning pancreas, however, no significant changes in blood glucose levels were observed after a single or repeated oral administration of Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract. In diabetic rats, the repeated oral administration of Eucalyptus globulus aqueous leaf extract significantly increased the basal plasma insulin concentrations (P < 0.05). The oral acute toxicity study in mice demonstrated that the LD₅₀ value for the Eucalyptus globulus leaf tissue was 4.5 g/kg. The results support the validity of empirical uses of EG in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

KEYWORDS. Diabetes, medicinal plant, pharmacological effect, traditional medicine

Human Colon Cancer Cells Undergo Apoptosis by Theaflavin Digallate, Epigallocatechin Gallate, and Oolong Tea
Polyphenol Extract    29

Hiroshige Hibasami
Zong-Xuan Jin
Kazumi Yoshioka
Kohko Ina
Kazuko Ohnishi

The effects of theaflavin digallate, a main component of black tea theaflavins; epigallocatechin gallate, a main component of green tea catechins; and polyphenol extract, containing an OTP trimer as a major component of oolong tea, was tested on human colon cancer COLO 205 cells and normal lymphocytes. Treatment with theaflavin digallate, epigallocatechin, and polyphenol extract resulted in growth inhibition and induced apoptosis in the COLO 205 cells, but not in normal human lymphocytes. Morphological examination of the tissue showed apoptotic bodies in cells treated with the chemical compounds. DNA fragmentation and the formation of oligonucleosomal-sized fragments in treated cells, characteristic of apoptosis, were concentration and time dependent. The data provide the first evidence that tea extracts induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells.

KEYWORDS. EGCG, growth inhibition, malignancies, medicinal plants, OTPE, TFDG

Human Stomach Cancer Cells Undergo Apoptosis by Genistein,
But Not Other Genistein- and Daidzein-Related Compounds    39

Hiroshige Hibasami
Hideo Esaki
Tomoko Kataoka
Sachiko Takaue
Shunro Kawakishi

The effect of various isoflavones on the growth of human stomach cancer KATO III cells was investigated. Growth inhibition was greatest using genistein, followed by 8-hydroxygenistein (8-OHG), 8-hydroxydaidzein, and diadzein, respectively. Apoptosis induction in KATO III cells was observed following treatment with genistein, but not other compounds related to genistein or daidzein having the same isoflavone skeleton. Cells treated with genistein had morphological changes showing apoptotic bodies. The fragmentation of DNA by genistein to oligonucleosomal-sized fragments, a characteristic of apoptosis, was demonstrated to be concentration and time dependent by using agarose electrophoresis of DNA fragments isolated from the treated cells. The present study showed the positioning, but not the number of hydroxyl groups on the phenyl moiety of these isoflavones to be important for apoptosis-inducing ability.

KEYWORDS. Apoptosis, carcinogenesis, medicinal plant, growth inhibition, DNA fragmentation

Influence of Harvest Dynamics and Cut Height on Yield
Components of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.)    49

Ivanka Zutic
Eli Putievsky
Nativ Dudai

Sage plant herbage was harvested twice at two cutting heights in various stages of development in the course of the growing season, the first harvest on nine dates at one- or two-week intervals in the spring and the second on a single date in the summer. In the spring harvest, the highest yield of fresh herbage (1159 g/m²) was achieved with the low cut, 10 to 15 cm above the soil, at the mature seed stage. In the summer harvest the yields were not affected by the date of the preceding spring harvest, but significantly higher yields were obtained from low-cut (567 g/m²) as compared with high-cut plants (182 g/m²). The essential oil yield paralleled the green herbage yield (total of both harvests: low cut 5.8 to 10.5 ml/m², high cut 2.6 to 4.8 ml/m²). Among the plant parts, the highest essential oil content was in the primordia (1.05%), followed by leaves (0.7%), inflorescences (0.6%), and stems (0.1%). A total of 25 copies essential oil components were isolated, the most abundant being a- and b-thujone, 1,8-cineole, and viridiflorol. Contents of these constituents depended more on the plant part than on the developmental stage. The optimum time for the first harvest is the period from milk maturity to the mature seed stage and for the second 70 to 100 days later, both by cutting at 10 to 15 cm above the soil.

KEYWORDS. Essential oil, fresh herbage

Study of the Gastrointestinal Properties of Acalypha aff. mollis    63

Miguel Zavala S.
Salud Pérez G.
Cuauhtemoc Pérez G.

The antidiarrheal activity of hexane, chloroform, methanol and aqueous extracts of Acalypha aff. mollis was evaluated in mice with diarrhea induced by castor oil and MgSO₄. Both the aqueous and methanol extracts of the plant significantly inhibited castor oil-induced diarrhea (maximum inhibition was 54.35 and 30.57 percent, respectively), but failed to inhibit MgSO₄-induced diarrhea. The aqueous extract also inhibited small intestine transit in both untreated and castor oil-treated rats. This antidiarrheal activity was not associated with an antimicrobial effect. Instead, tannins detected in phytochemical screening could probably contribute to the antidiarrheal action. Acalypha aff. mollis extracts did not modify normal defecation patterns.

KEYWORDS. Antidiarrheal activity, medicinal plant

A Comparative Study of Hypericum perforatum Plants
as Sources of Hypericins and Hyperforins    73

Ara Kirakosyan
Donna M. Gibson
Tara Sirvent

Over 15 genetically distinct populations and 10 cultivars of St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) from Armenia and North America were surveyed to identify superior plant germplasm as sources of the secondary metabolites hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin. Remarkably high concentrations (over 15% of dry weight) of the antidepressive metabolite, hyperforin was detected in a population of H. perforatum collected in Armenia, while North American samples and cultivars had relatively high levels of hypericins (to 0.23 percent of dry weight). In vitro studies indicated that shoot cultures are excellent sources for both hypericins and hyperforin. Concentrations of hypericins in shoot cultures reached six times (1.4% of dry weight) that of wild-collected or greenhouse-grown plants, while the concentrations of hyperforin were lower.

KEYWORDS. Antidepressive, medicinal plant, pseudohypericin, St. John’s wort, tissue culture

Chemoprevention of Experimental Hamster Buccal Pouch Carcinogenesis by Garlic Oil    89

S. Mirunalini
C. R. Ramachandran
S. Nagini

The chemopreventive potential of garlic oil against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis was investigated. Measurement of lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant status together with histopathological changes was used to biomonitor chemoprevention. All hamsters painted with 0.5 percent DMBA for 16 weeks developed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Diminished lipid peroxidation in the HBP tumor tissue was accompanied by decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, with elevation in ascorbic acid, vitamin E, reduced glutathione (GSH) and GSH-dependent enzymes. Topical application of garlic oil (100 mg in 100 µl) suppressed DMBA-induced HBP carcinomas as revealed by the absence of neoplasms. The results of the present study suggest that garlic oil may exert chemopreventive effects by modulating lipid peroxidation and enhancing antioxidant activities.

KEYWORDS. Antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, medicinal plant

Lesser Known Ethnomedicinal Plants of the Ayyakarkoil Forest
Province of Southwestern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India–Part I    103

S. M. Rajendran
S. C. Agarwal
V. Sundaresan

The current communication gives the results of an ethnobotanical survey of the area for the collection of plant samples for a biological screening program of the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) and a search for plants used as ethnomedicinals by the Palian tribe of Ayyanarkoil hill range of Virkudunagar forest division. The survey results into the uses of 43 plant species belonging to 42 genera and 24 families of flowering plants. The species are listed in alphabetical order, their family in parenthesis along with pertained field number(s), vernacular name, phonology, part used; name of ailments and drug preparation and doses with duration of use or application are given elaborately.

KEYWORDS. Ethnobotany, medicinal plants, Palian tribe

Effect of Red Hogweed (Boerhavia diffusa L.) on Plasma
Antioxidants in Alloxan-Induced Diabetes    113

M. Amarnath Satheesh
L. Pari

The present study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of an aqueous Boerhavia diffusa leaf extract (BLEt) (200 mg/kg) in rats with alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus. Administration of BLEt for four weeks resulted in a significant reduction in plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lipid peroxides, ceruloplasmin, and a-tocopherol and a significant elevation in plasma of reduced glutathione and vitamin C in the diabetic rats. A comparison between the action of BLEt and antidiabetic drug glibenclamide (600 µg/kg) indicated the effect of BLEt was more prominent than glibenclamide.

KEYWORDS. Ceruloplasmin, lipid peroxidation, TBARS, vitamin C

NOTE

Traditional Veterinary Medicine Among the Tribes of Kashmir Himalaya    121

Showkat Yousuf Beigh
Irshad A. Nawchoo
Muhammad Iqbal

The Kashmir Himalayan Mountains are endowed with a diverse plant wealth. In this region, the Bakerwals and other migratory herders and shepherds utilize herbal therapies for treatment of their livestock. Information on these plants used for veterinary practices was obtained through interviews of herders, shepherds, and others that work with farm animals during the period of 1997 through 2001. A total of 25 plants within 19 families was identified for treatment of a variety of animal afflictions.

KEYWORDS. Ailments, cattle, ethno-medicine, herders, Kashmir tribes, livestock, medicinal plants

BOOK REVIEWS

A Guide to Medicinal Plants of Asian Origin and Culture

,
by Usha R. Palaniswamy    129

Reviewed by Jean Giblette

Medicinal Plants of the World–Chemical Constituents,
Traditional and Modern Uses

, Vol. 1, 2nd Ed.,
by Ivan A. Ross    131

Reviewed by Nazim Mamedov