Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the biological activities of some plant species used in the preparation of herbal mixtures and determine the combinational effects. The plant materials were collected from traders who use them to prepare herbal mixtures claimed to be blood purifiers, pain-relievers, anti-diarrheal and aphrodisiac medicines. An aqueous decoction of each plant species was prepared. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used to establish the phytochemical profiles of the decoctions. Standard chemical tests were performed to screen for the presence of phyto-constituent groups. Total polyphenol content of the decoctions was also determined. The 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay and ferric reducing power were used to assess the antioxidant activities of the extracts. The micro-broth dilution assay was used to determine antimicrobial activity. Fractional inhibitory index was used to determine the consequence of mixing different decoctions together. The phytochemical fingerprints of the decoctions showed that water mainly extracted polar compounds from the plants. Terpernoids, tannins and steroids were detected in all the decoctions. The decoctions of Delonix elata, Veltheimia capensis, Sarcostemma viminale, and “Tšhikwana” had the lowest antioxidant activity. The twigs of Kirkia wilmsii exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity (EC50 15.71 µg/mL) and further showed significant broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against diarrheagenic pathogens. The twigs of K. wilmsii had the greatest amount of total phenolics followed by Hypoxis hemerocallidea (corm) and Monsonia angustifolia. Majority of the aqueous extract combinations yielded indifferent and additive interactions. Although synergistic effects are sought after when mixing different plant extracts, this study demonstrated the complexities associated with combinations of aqueous extracts and the importance of appropriate knowledge on which species of plants should be mixed to enhance their therapeutic properties. Key words: Phytochemical screening, antioxidant, antimicrobial, combinational effects.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Water decoctions mainly extracted polar compounds from the sampled plants.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee0
- Outcome
- polar compoundse0
Verbatim
e0“water mainly extracted polar compounds from the plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Terpernoids, tannins and steroids were detected in all decoctions.
- Outcome
- Terpernoids, tannins and steroidse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Terpernoids, tannins and steroids were detected in all the decoctions”
Claim · model-written summary
Delonix elata decoction had among the lowest antioxidant activities.
- Taxon
- Delonix elata
Delonix elatae0 - Outcome
- antioxidant activitye0
- Direction
- loweste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The decoctions of Delonix elata, Veltheimia capensis, Sarcostemma viminale, and “Tšhikwana” had the lowest antioxidant activity”
Claim · model-written summary
Veltheimia capensis decoction had among the lowest antioxidant activities.
- Taxon
- Veltheimia capensis
.jpg?width=60)
Veltheimia capensise0 - Outcome
- antioxidant activitye0
- Direction
- loweste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The decoctions of Delonix elata, Veltheimia capensis, Sarcostemma viminale, and “Tšhikwana” had the lowest antioxidant activity”
Claim · model-written summary
Sarcostemma viminale decoction had among the lowest antioxidant activities.
- Taxon
- Sarcostemma viminale
Cynanchum viminalee0 - Outcome
- antioxidant activitye0
- Direction
- loweste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The decoctions of Delonix elata, Veltheimia capensis, Sarcostemma viminale, and “Tšhikwana” had the lowest antioxidant activity”
Claim · model-written summary
“Tšhikwana” decoction had among the lowest antioxidant activities.
Verbatim
e0“The decoctions of Delonix elata, Veltheimia capensis, Sarcostemma viminale, and “Tšhikwana” had the lowest antioxidant activity”
Claim · model-written summary
Kirkia wilmsii twigs showed the greatest antioxidant activity, EC50 15.71 µg/mL.
- Taxon
- Kirkia wilmsii
Kirkia wilmsiie0 - Organ / stage
- twigse0
- Outcome
- antioxidant activitye0
- Direction
- greateste0
- Value
- 15.71 µg/mLe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The twigs of Kirkia wilmsii exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity (EC50 15.71 µg/mL)”
Claim · model-written summary
Kirkia wilmsii twigs showed significant broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against diarrheagenic pathogens.
- Taxon
- Kirkia wilmsiiKirkia wilmsiie0
- Organ / stage
- twigse0
- Outcome
- broad-spectrum antibacterial activitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The twigs of Kirkia wilmsii exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity (EC50 15.71 µg/mL) and further showed significant broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against diarrheagenic pathogens”
Claim · model-written summary
Kirkia wilmsii twigs had the greatest amount of total phenolics.
- Taxon
- K. wilmsiiKirkia wilmsiie0
- Organ / stage
- twigse0
- Outcome
- amount of total phenolicse0
- Direction
- greateste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The twigs of K. wilmsii had the greatest amount of total phenolics followed by Hypoxis hemerocallidea (corm) and Monsonia angustifolia”
Claim · model-written summary
Hypoxis hemerocallidea corm ranked second in total phenolics.
- Taxon
- Hypoxis hemerocallidea
Hypoxis hemerocallideae0 - Organ / stage
- corme0
- Outcome
- amount of total phenolicse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The twigs of K. wilmsii had the greatest amount of total phenolics followed by Hypoxis hemerocallidea (corm) and Monsonia angustifolia”
Claim · model-written summary
Monsonia angustifolia followed Hypoxis hemerocallidea in total phenolics.
- Taxon
- Monsonia angustifolia
Monsonia angustifoliae0 - Outcome
- amount of total phenolicse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The twigs of K. wilmsii had the greatest amount of total phenolics followed by Hypoxis hemerocallidea (corm) and Monsonia angustifolia”
Claim · model-written summary
Most aqueous extract combinations produced indifferent or additive interactions.
- Outcome
- indifferent and additive interactionse0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Majority of the aqueous extract combinations yielded indifferent and additive interactions”