African medicinal plant

Iwu MM. (1993) Handbook of African Medicinal Plants. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 

Fabry W, Okemo P, Ansorg R. (1996) Activity of East African medicinal plants agam t Helicobacter pylori. Chemotherapy 42 315-317. 

Achenbach, H., Raffelsberger, B. and Brillinger, G. 1980. Constituents of West-African medicinal plants. Part 4. 19-Hydroxycoronaridine and 19-hydroxyibogamine, two antibiotic alkaloids of the ibogamine type. Phytochemistry, 19 2185-2188. 

Achenbach, H. 1986. Investigations on West African medicinal plants. Pure and Applied Chemistry, 58 653-662. 

Marston, A. et al. (1993). Search for antifungal, molluscicidal and larvicidal compounds from African medicinal plants. 

Mathisen, E. et al.. Antioxidants from the bark of Burkea africana, an African medicinal plant, Phytother. Res., 16(S1), 148, 2002. 

Marini-Bettolo GB, Nicoletti M, Messana I, Patamia M, Galeffi C, Oguakwa JU, Port-alone G, Vaciago A. Research on African Medicinal Plants - IV. Boonein, a New C-9 Terpenoid Lactone from Alstonia boonei A Possible Precursor in the Indole Alkaloid Biogenesis. Tetrahedron 1983 39(2) 323-329. 

Rogers, C.B. Verotta, L. In Chemistry, Biological and Pharmacological Properties of African Medicinal Plants. K. Hostettmann, F. Chinyanganya, M. Maillard and J.-L. Wolfender Eds. University of Zimbabwe Publications, 1996 pp. 121-141. 

Patnam R, Kadali SS, Koumaglo KH, Roy R (2005) A Chlorinated Coumarinolignan from the African Medicinal Plant, Mondia whitei. Phytochemistry 66 683... 

Potent Insect Antifeedants from the African Medicinal Plant Bersama abyssinica... 

I. Kubo, T. Kamikawa and I. Miura, Isolation, structure and synthesis of maesanin, a host defense stimulant from an African medicinal plant Maesa lanceolata. Tetrahedron Lett. (1983) 3825-3828. 

Nkunya, M.H.H. (1996). Unusual metabolites from Tanzanian Annonaceous plants The genus Uvaria. In Chemistry, Biological and Pharmacological properties of African medicinal plants. Hostettmann, K., Chinyangaynya, F., Maillard, M. and Wolfender, J.L. (Eds.), pp. 268-281. Proceedings of the first International IOCD symposium, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe University of Zimbabwe. 

Increased use of African medicinal plants on the continent and in international trade has stimulated new efforts to monitor the quality of these botanical materials with the formation of the African Herbal Pharmacopoeia project. The first monographs to establish identity and criteria for quality control were introduced in 2009. This efifort will no doubt lead to a greater sense of confidence in many of the leading botanical raw materials of African origin in the medicinal plant trade. 

The Amazon Indians Waiapi living in the West of Amapa State of Brazil, treat malaria with an inhalation of vapor obtained from leaves of Viola surinamensis. The antimalarial activity of the aromatic volatile plant extracts from leaves, showed that nerolidol (an acyclic oxygenated sesquiterpene) was identified as one of the active principles (36). Another recent study suggested the presence of an active isoprenoid pathway for biosynthesis of isoprenic chains of coenzyme Q in P. falciparum (37), parasites treated with nerolidol showed decreased ability to synthesize coenzyme Q in all intraerythrocytic stages. A challenge would be to now identify which African medicinal plants contain similar chemistry. 

The mood elevating properties of Sceletium tortuosum have been attributed to mesembrine [9], an alkaloid with potent selective serototun (5-HT) re-uptake inhibition activity 86). Other sceletium alkaloids as they are now referred to are mesembrenone, mesembrenol and tortuosamine. The use of mesembrine-type alkaloids was patented 92). Selective serotoiun (5-HT) re-uptake inhibitors (SSRls), like mesembrine, have become important treatments in the therapeutic management of depression 93). Several southern African medicinal plants, in particular Amaryllidaceae, have shown in vitro affinity for serotoiun re-uptake transporters 94,95). Several active alkaloids have been identified from Boophone and Crinum species 95, 96). 

The trade in African medicinal plants is poorly regulated. The regulation includes three fundamental aspects quality, safety and efficacy. The adverse effects of African traditional medicines are not well documented in the hterature. Examples and case studies illustrate the current knowledge and future challenges relating to African traditional medicine. Pre- and post harvest factors which influence the safety and quality are discussed. 

The objective of this paper is to discnss factors which influence the safety and quahty of medicinal plants and to provide insights on the current knowledge and future challenges of African medicinal plants. 

Such adulteration is perilous owing to the unanticipated drag-herb interactions that may arise 43). Recently, two African medicinal plants, Hypoxis hemerocallidea (African potato) and Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R.Br. (Fabaceae) often recommended for treatment of HIV/AIDS, showed a negative interaction with antiretroviral medication, thus patients may be at risk from treatment failure, viral resistance or drag toxicity (53). Consequently, even when these interferences do not actively cause morbidity and mortality, they can weaken the therapeutic value of concomitantly administered conventional drags... 

In order to advance the various aspects of the current extensive African medicinal plant trade much work needs to be done. This would not only ensure a product of quality and safety for the consumer, but also ensure that medicinal plant species are utilized in a sustainable manner. 

Cunningham, A.B. African medicinal plants setting priorities at the interface between conservation and primary health care, UNESCO, Paris, 1993. 

Extracts of V. africana are used to treat AIDS. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of important antioxidant bioactive molecules such as tannins, flavonoids and phenols in bark extracts (S). They concluded that the antioxidant activity in this medicinal plant may be a contributing factor to its therapeuctic applications. Additional medicinal applications of Voacanga have been reviewed in relation to other African medicinal plants 3, 70). 

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