ABSTRACT
Background: In Cameroon, most peoples use traditional medicine treating infectious diseases. To verify the scientific bases of these locally used medicinal plants, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out in some villages of Vina and Mayo-Louti Divisions. Materials and Methods: Interviews were conducted through structured questionnaires among 31 traditional healers living in these divisions. With the medicinal plants revealed, a literature investigation on their therapeutic effects, as well as in vitro antimicrobial activity of these plants were conducted. The agar diffusion method was used to determine the antibacterial activities of the methanol extracts against the pathogens while the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined using the Broth dilution method. Result: A total of 15 medicinal plants species belonging to 12 families are being used in the treatment of numerous infectious diseases in the Vina and Mayo-Louti Divisions. Khaya senegalensis (Meliaceae), Terminalia glaucescens (Combretaceae), Flacourtia flavescens wild (Salicaceae), Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae) and Boswellia dalzielii (Burseraceae) were the mostly used plants for the treatment of infectious diseases in the study areas. Maceration (43.75%) was the common mode of preparation, followed by infusion (31.25%) and decoction (25.00%). Bioassay showed that crude methanol extract of Pterocarpus erinaceus and Flacourtia flavescens were the most active plant extract with a MIC of 0.8 mg/ml on many tested bacteria. The antibacterial activity of Boswellia dalzeilii from Cameroon are reported here for the first time. Conclusion: Many herbals remedies are used in these divisions for the treatment infectious diseases. The plants can be used as source of antibacterial drugs to treat infections caused by susceptible bacteria
ABSTRACT
Objective:To determine inhibitory activity of methanolic leaf extract of Piper umbellatum and Persea americana (P.americana) (traditionally used in Cameroon against diabetes) on α-glucosidase,β-glucosidase,maltase-gluconmylase,aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase activities,enzymes involved in starch digestion or diabetic complications.Methods:The methanol extracts from Piper umbellatum and P.americana were prepared by maceration.To assess relative efficacy of these extracts,the determination of concentrations that were needed to inhibit 50％ of enzyme activity was done,whereas,gas chromatography-mass spectrum was used to identify components from extracts that may be responsible for the activities.Resullts The tested extracts strongly inhibited α-glucosidase,maltase-glucoamylase,aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase activities with IC50 ranging from (1.07 ± 0.03) to 01.77 + 1.17) μg/mL.Among the tested extracts,P.americana was the most active against sensitive enzymes (IC50 of 1.07 ± 0.03 to 15.63 ± 1.23).But,none of the extracts showed interesting inhibitory effect against β-glucosidase as their percentage inhibitions were less than 16％.From gas chromatographymass spectrum analysis,10 and 8 compounds were identified in Piper umbellatum and P.americana extracts respectively,using NIST library 2014.Conclusions:Results of this study provide the scientific credential for a prospective usage of these plants to treat diabetes.