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Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Medicinal Plants

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2024 | Viewed by 9268

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Alfred Maroyi

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Guest Editor

Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
Interests: ethnobotany; phytochemistry; ethnopharmacology; traditional medicine; plants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Several secondary metabolites from medicinal plants have been used by mankind for centuries as therapeutic agents. These secondary metabolites often called phytomedicines contain chemical compounds that act on the animal body to prevent disorders and to restore or maintain health. The secondary metabolites or phytomedicines are usually multifunctional compounds in nature, capable of exhibiting several pharmacological properties. Hence extracts of medicinal plants often interfere with several animal organs, tissues, cells and molecular targets, resulting in restoration of health or relieving symptoms of ailments or diseases. Researchers around the world are therefore, evaluating the concentration of phytochemicals in medicinal plants, the appropriate dosages and frequency, and the most effective method of administration of traditional medicines. Exploration of the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of medicinal plants may lead to the discovery of new remedies health promoting products or pharmaceutical drugs.

In this Special Issue, we would like to invite scientists to submit research manuscripts, reviews, mini-reviews, opinions and short communications that focus on medicinal plants, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of medicinal plants, clinical trials, quality control, safety, toxicity and efficacy evaluations of medicinal plant.

Prof. Dr. Alfred Maroyi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

clinical trials of medicinal plants
Indigenous knowledge systems
in vitro and in vivo biological activities
modes of action of herbal drugs and phytomedicines
pharmacological properties
phytochemical compounds
quality control, safety and efficacy evaluations
traditional medicines

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 6382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytochemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Barleria albostellata C.B. Clarke Leaf and Stem Extracts

by Serisha Gangaram, Yougasphree Naidoo, Yaser Hassan Dewir, Moganavelli Singh, Johnson Lin and Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2396; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132396 - 21 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2078

Abstract

Barleria albostellata (Acanthaceae) is a shrub located in South Africa and is relatively understudied. However, plants within this genus are well known for their medicinal and ethnopharmacological properties. This study aimed to characterise the phytochemical compounds and antibacterial efficacies of B. albostellata. Phytochemical analysis, fluorescence microscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis were performed to determine the composition of compounds that may be of medicinal importance. Crude leaf and stem extracts (hexane, chloroform and methanol) were subjected to an antibacterial analysis against several pathogenic microorganisms. The qualitative phytochemical screening of leaf and stem extracts revealed the presence various compounds. Fluorescence microscopy qualitatively assessed the leaf and stem powdered material, which displayed various colours under bright and UV light. GC-MS chromatograms represents 10–108 peaks of various compounds detected in the leaf and stem crude extracts. Major pharmacologically active compounds found in the extracts were alpha-amyrin, flavone, phenol, phytol, phytol acetate, squalene and stigmasterol. Crude extracts positively inhibited Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Significance was established at p < 0.05 for all concentrations and treatments. These results indicate that the leaves and stems of B. albostellata are rich in bioactive compounds, which could be a potential source of antibacterial agents for treating various diseases linked to the pathogenic bacteria studied. Future discoveries from this plant could advance the use of indigenous traditional medicine and provide novel drug leads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Medicinal Plants)

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Review

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24 pages, 405 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Wild Carrot (Daucus carota): A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review

by Jana Ismail, Wassim N. Shebaby, Joey Daher, Joelle C. Boulos, Robin Taleb, Costantine F. Daher and Mohamad Mroueh

Plants 2024, 13(1), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010093 - 27 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1777

Abstract

Daucus carota L., a member of the Apiaceae family, comprises 13 subspecies, with one being cultivated (D. carota L. ssp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.) and the remaining being wild. Traditionally, the wild carrot has been recognized for its antilithic, diuretic, carminative, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties and has been employed in the treatment of urinary calculus, cystitis, gout, prostatitis, and cancer. While extensive literature is available on the phytochemical, pharmacological, and therapeutic evaluations of the cultivated carrot, limited information has been published on the wild carrot. A thorough search was conducted on the phytochemical composition, folk-medicine uses, and pharmacological properties of wild carrot subspecies (Daucus carota L. ssp. carota). Various electronic databases were consulted, and the literature spanning from 1927 to early 2023 was reviewed. Thirteen wild Daucus carota subspecies were analyzed, revealing over 310 compounds, including terpenoids, phenylpropenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, with 40 constituting more than 3% of the composition. This review also highlights the antioxidant, anticancer, antipyretic, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, hypolipidemic, and hepato- and gastroprotective properties of wild carrot subspecies. Existing in vitro and in vivo studies support their traditional uses in treating infections, inflammation, and cancer. However, further research on other subspecies is required to confirm additional applications. Well-designed preclinical and clinical trials are still necessary to establish the safety and efficacy of wild Daucus carota for human use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Medicinal Plants)

26 pages, 2310 KiB

Open AccessReview

Medicinal Uses of the Fabaceae Family in Zimbabwe: A Review

by Alfred Maroyi

Plants 2023, 12(6), 1255; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061255 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4584

Abstract

The current study is aimed at providing a systematic review of the ethnomedicinal, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Fabaceae species used as sources of traditional medicinies in Zimbabwe. Fabaceae is one of the well-known plant families of ethnopharmacological importance. Of the approximately 665 species of the Fabaceae family occurring in Zimbabwe, about 101 are used for medicinal purposes. Many communities in the country, mainly in peri-urban, rural and marginalized areas with limited access to healthcare facilities, rely on traditional medicines as their primary healthcare. The study reviewed research studies undertaken on Zimbabwe’s Fabaceae species during 1959 to 2022. Information was gathered from literature sourced from Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, books, dissertations, theses and scientific reports. This study showed that 101 species are traditionally used to manage human and animal diseases in Zimbabwe. The genera with the highest number of medicinal uses are Indigofera, Senna, Albizia, Rhynchosia and Vachellia. Species of these genera are used as traditional medicines against 134 medical conditions, mainly gastrointestinal conditions, female reproductive conditions, respiratory conditions and sexually transmitted infections. Shrubs (39.0%), trees (37.0%) and herbs (18.0%) are the primary sources of traditional medicines, while roots (80.2%), leaves (36.6%), bark (27.7%) and fruits (8.9%) are the most widely used plant parts. Many of Zimbabwe’s Fabaceae species used as sources of traditional medicines have been assessed for their phytochemical and pharmacological properties, corroborating their medicinal uses. However, there is a need to unravel the therapeutic potential of the family through further ethnopharmacological research focusing on toxicological studies, in vitro and in vivo models, biochemical assays and pharmacokinetic studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Medicinal Plants)

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