Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim1, Aminu Mohammed2, Murtala Bindawa Isah3, Abubakar Babando Aliyu4. 1. Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Electronic address: mauwalibrahim@gmail.com. 2. Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. 3. Department of Biochemistry, Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina, Nigeria. 4. Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: African trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by different species of trypanosomes that affect both human and livestock with devastating consequences in the continent. Most of the affected populations commonly use traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of the disease. Consequently, this prompted ethnopharmacological research activities on the anti-trypanosomal activity of a number of these African medicinal plants in order to validate their ethnomedicinal use. Furthermore, such studies could lead to the identification of chemical leads for the development of newer anti-trypanosomal agents from those plants. This review aims to provide updated information on the ethnopharmacological evidence of African medicinal plants with anti-trypanosomal activity. METHODS: Literature was collected via electronic search (PubMed, Sciencedirect, Medline and Google Scholar) from published articles that report on the in vitro or in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity of plants that were collected from different parts of Africa. RESULTS: African medicinal plants investigated for in vitro and in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity from January 1993 to October 2013 are systematically compiled and all the in vivo studies are critically discussed. A total of 264 plant species belonging to 79 families were investigated for anti-trypanosomal activity. However, only 48 bioactive anti-trypanosomal compounds were successfully isolated in pure forms. Furthermore, some of the plants were investigated for possible ameliorative effects on the trypanosome-induced pathological changes out of which 18 plants were reported to be effective while a few others were not. In spite of interesting preclinical ethnopharmacological evidence for anti-trypanosomal activity, not a single African medicinal plant was investigated in a clinical study. CONCLUSION: Several African medicinal plants have demonstrated promising anti-trypanosomal effects but the studies on the anti-trypanosomal potentials of these plants are not taken beyond proof of concept stage. It is hoped that the article would stimulate future clinical studies because of the paucity of knowledge in this area.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: African trypanosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases caused by different species of trypanosomes that affect both human and livestock with devastating consequences in the continent. Most of the affected populations commonly use traditional medicinal plants for the treatment of the disease. Consequently, this prompted ethnopharmacological research activities on the anti-trypanosomal activity of a number of these African medicinal plants in order to validate their ethnomedicinal use. Furthermore, such studies could lead to the identification of chemical leads for the development of newer anti-trypanosomal agents from those plants. This review aims to provide updated information on the ethnopharmacological evidence of African medicinal plants with anti-trypanosomal activity. METHODS: Literature was collected via electronic search (PubMed, Sciencedirect, Medline and Google Scholar) from published articles that report on the in vitro or in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity of plants that were collected from different parts of Africa. RESULTS: African medicinal plants investigated for in vitro and in vivo anti-trypanosomal activity from January 1993 to October 2013 are systematically compiled and all the in vivo studies are critically discussed. A total of 264 plant species belonging to 79 families were investigated for anti-trypanosomal activity. However, only 48 bioactive anti-trypanosomal compounds were successfully isolated in pure forms. Furthermore, some of the plants were investigated for possible ameliorative effects on the trypanosome-induced pathological changes out of which 18 plants were reported to be effective while a few others were not. In spite of interesting preclinical ethnopharmacological evidence for anti-trypanosomal activity, not a single African medicinal plant was investigated in a clinical study. CONCLUSION: Several African medicinal plants have demonstrated promising anti-trypanosomal effects but the studies on the anti-trypanosomal potentials of these plants are not taken beyond proof of concept stage. It is hoped that the article would stimulate future clinical studies because of the paucity of knowledge in this area.
Authors: Stephane L Ngahang Kamte; Farahnaz Ranjbarian; Gustavo Daniel Campagnaro; Prosper C Biapa Nya; Hélène Mbuntcha; Verlaine Woguem; Hilaire Macaire Womeni; Léon Azefack Ta; Cristiano Giordani; Luciano Barboni; Giovanni Benelli; Loredana Cappellacci; Anders Hofer; Riccardo Petrelli; Filippo Maggi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-07-06 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Fidele Ntie-Kang; Leonel E Njume; Yvette I Malange; Stefan Günther; Wolfgang Sippl; Joseph N Yong Journal: Nat Prod Bioprospect Date: 2016-03-01