€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE***** Benoit F Valentin A Pelissier Y Diafouka F Marion C Kone-Bamba D Kone M Mallie M Yapo A Bastide JM In vitro antimalarial activity of vegetal extracts used in West African traditional medicine. In: Am J Trop Med Hyg (1996 Jan) 54(1):67-71 ISSN: 0002-9637 Among strategies for the development of new antimalarials, a study of plants traditionally used in Africa against malaria has been pursued. Extracts obtained from the plants Azadirachta indica, Cinnamonum camphora, Lippia multiflora, Vernonia colorata, Guiera senegalensis, Combretum micranthum, and Ximenia americana, commonly used in Cote d'Ivoire by native healers for the treatment of malaria, were tested on two strains of Plasmodium falciparum: FcB1-Colombia (chloroquine- resistant) and F32-Tanzania (chloroquine-sensitive). Extracts were obtained after infusion and decoction, both techniques being used by most native healers. The antimalarial activities of the extracts were tested first by parasite 3H-hypoxanthine incorporation and second by visual evaluation of the activities of plant extracts on thin blood smears, which also permitted the determination of parasitic stages and parasite alteration. Among the seven plants tested, some had an apparent inhibitory effect on P. falciparum growth in vitro, while other seemed to be less efficient. Registry Numbers: 68-94-0 (hypoxanthine) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ANNALES PHARMACEUTIQUES FRANCAISES***** Lacoste E Chaumont JP Mandin D Plumel MM Matos FJ [Antiseptic properties of essential oil of Lippia sidoides Cham. Application to the cutaneous microflora] Les proprietes antiseptiques de l'huile essentielle de Lippia sidoides Cham. Application a la microflore cutanee. In: Ann Pharm Fr (1996) 54(5):228-30 ISSN: 0003-4509 (Published in French) Two samples of essential oils of Lippia sidoides Cham. have been tested for their antibacterial and antifungal properties against some microorganisms living on the skin of feet and armpits. The essential oils and also their main components, thymol and carvacrol, show strong antagonistic activities. Corynebacterium xerosis developing axillary odour is specially inhibited. But on the other hand no specific activities have been observed upon the feet microflora. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Caceres A Alvarez AV Ovando AE Samayoa BE Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of respiratory diseases. 1. Screening of 68 plants against gram-positive bacteria. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1991 Feb) 31(2):193-208 ISSN: 0378-8741 Respiratory ailments are important causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Ethnobotanical surveys and literature reviews conducted in Guatemala during 1986-88 showed that 234 plants from 75 families, most of them of American origin, have been used for the treatment of respiratory ailments. Three Gram-positive bacteria causing respiratory infections (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes) were used to screen 68 of the most commonly used plants for activity. Twenty-eight of these (41.2%) inhibited the growth of one or more of the bacteria tested. Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by 18 of the plant extracts, while 7 extracts were effective against Streptococcus pyogenes. Plants of American origin which exhibited antibacterial activity were: Gnaphalium viscosum, Lippia alba, Lippia dulcis, Physalis philadelphica, Satureja brownei, Solanum nigrescens and Tagetes lucida. These preliminary in vitro results provide scientific basis for the use of these plants against bacterial respiratory infections. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Costa M Di Stasi LC Kirizawa M Mendacolli SL Gomes C Trolin G Screening in mice of some medicinal plants used for analgesic purposes in the state of S~ao Paulo. Part II. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1989 Nov) 27(1-2):25-33 ISSN: 0378-8741 Seventeen medicinal plants used popularly in Brazil for their reputed analgesic properties were tested in mice by the writhing and tail flick methods. All extractions were made in 50% aqueous ethanol at low temperatures. The oral dose administered was always 1 g extract/kg. Significant effects in both tests were produced by Lippia alba, Piper abutiloides, Piper cincinnatoris, Piper lindbergii and Tillandsia usneoides. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Compadre CM Robbins EF Kinghorn AD The intensely sweet herb, Lippia dulcis Trev.: historical uses, field inquiries, and constituents. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1986 Jan) 15(1):89-106 ISSN: 0378-8741 Lippia dulcis Trev. (Verbenaceae) is the source of hernandulcin, the first known intensely sweet sesquiterpenoid, a compound which is a volatile oil constituent. The literature on the uses of this species, dating back to early colonial times in Mexico, has been examined. This plant began to be used as an official drug in the late 19th century for the treatment of coughs and bronchitis, and at that time preliminary phytochemical investigations were undertaken. Field work carried out in Mexico in 1981 and 1982 has indicated that there is still an active trade involving L. dulcis, which is sold primarily in market places for its alleged abortifacient activity. We have obtained no evidence, either from the literature or from field inquiries, that L. dulcis has ever been used for sweetening foods or beverages. Fourteen L. dulcis volatile oil constituents, mainly mono- and sesquiterpenoids, were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The toxic compound, camphor, was found to constitute 53% w/w of the volatile oil of this species. The potential use of L. dulcis for the extraction of hernandulcin is discussed. Registry Numbers: 95602-94-1 (hernandulcin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Caceres A Fletes L Aguilar L Ramirez O Figueroa L Taracena AM Samayoa B Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. 3. Confirmation of activity against enterobacteria of 16 plants. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1993 Jan) 38(1):31-8 ISSN: 0378-8741 Ethnobotanical surveys and literature review identified 408 plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. The screening of 84 showed that 34 inhibit one or more enterobacteria; 16 of these were selected for further investigation. Extracts were obtained with three solvents of different polarity (n- hexane, acetone and alcohol) and the in vitro activity was demonstrated against enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis and Shigella flexneri. The activity of nine ethanolic extracts against enterobacteria, particularly Acalypha guatemalensis, Diphysa robinioides, Lippia dulcis, Psidium guajava and Spondias purpurea was confirmed. The plants with antibacterial activity are discussed. Registry Numbers: 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS***** Kaneda N Lee IS Gupta MP Soejarto DD Kinghorn AD (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin, a new sweet sesquiterpene from the leaves and flowers of Lippia dulcis. In: J Nat Prod (1992 Aug) 55(8):1136-41 ISSN: 0163-3864 From the leaves and flowers of Lippia dulcis collected in Panama, a new sweet sesquiterpene identified as (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin [2] was isolated, accompanied by (+)-hernandulcin [1], (-)- epihernandulcin [3] (a novel natural product), and 6-methyl-5-hepten- 2-one [4]. Acteoside (verbascoside) [5], a known bitter phenylpropanoid glycoside, was isolated from the flowers of L. dulcis. The structure of (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin was established by interpretation of its spectral data. Registry Numbers: 145385-64-4 (4-hydroxyhernandulcin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PHYTOCHEMISTRY***** Valentin A Pelissier Y Benoit F Marion C Kone D Mallie M Bastide JM Bessiere JM Composition and antimalarial activity in vitro of volatile components of Lippia multiflora. In: Phytochemistry (1995 Nov) 40(5):1439-42 ISSN: 0031-9422 The essential oil of Lippia multiflora was prepared by hydrodistillation of leaves and stalks and characterized by GC and mass spectroscopy. The oil was tested for antimalarial activity on in vitro cultures of Plasmodium falciparum (FcB1-Columbia chloroquine- resistant strain and F32-Tanzania chloroquine-sensitive strain). The dilutions inhibiting the in vitro growth of the parasite by 50% 24 and 72 hr after administration of the essential oil to the parasite culture were 1/12,000 and 1/21,000, respectively. When tested on a highly synchronized culture, the essential oil inhibited growth mostly at the trophozoite-schizont step, indicating a potential effect on the first nuclear division of the parasite. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PROSTAGLANDINS LEUKOTRIENES AND ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS***** Pham HC Koffi Y Pham HC Comparative effects on TXA2 biosynthesis of products extracted from Lippia multiflora Moldenke leaves. In: Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids (1988 Nov) 34(2):83-8 ISSN: 0952-3278 The effects of the total phenolic extract (TPLi) from Lippia multiflora leaves and of its 2 main components i.e. Verbascoside (VLi) and Lil on TXA2 biosynthesis were studied. TXA2 biosynthesis was induced by incubation of arachidonic acid with horse platelet microsomes (HPM), TXB2, a stable metabolite of TXA2, was determined by using RIA. Under the experimental conditions adopted, Verbascoside did not significantly modify TXA2 biosynthesis. On the contrary, the total phenolic extract and Lil both inhibited TXA2 biosynthesis. Their action was dose-related, Lil being the more potent. The ID50 were 1.19 +/- 0.08 mg/ml and 10.64 +/- 0.64 mg/ml for Lil and total phenolic extract respectively. The study of regression curves representing the hypotensive action and the anti-thromboxane synthetase activity versus log(dose) of TPLi and Lil suggested that Lil would likely be responsible for the TPLi hypotensive action. Its antithromboxane synthetase activity could be considered as a major contributor to the mechanism of this effect. Registry Numbers: 54397-85-2 (Thromboxane B2) 57576-52-0 (Thromboxane A2) 61276-17-3 (verbascoside) 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****REVISTA DE GASTROENTEROLOGIA DEL PERU***** Guevara JM Chumpitaz J Valencia E [The in vitro action of plants on Vibrio cholerae] Accion in vitro de plantas sobre Vibrio cholerae. In: Rev Gastroenterol Peru (1994 Jan-Apr) 14(1):27-31 ISSN: 1022-5129 (Published in Spanish) Natural products of several plants, according to the geographic location, are used by Peruvian people in the popular treatment of diarrhea, with good success. When cholerae cases appeared in Peru, we were interested to know the "in vitro" effect against Vibrio cholerae 01, of these useful plants to treat diarrhea. The following plants were tested: Cichorium intybus, Althaea officinalis, Psorela glandulosa, Geranium maculatum, Punica granatum, Malus sativa, Cydonia oblonga, Chenopodium ambrosoides, Krameria triandria, Tea chinensis, Daucus carota, Persea gratissima, Psidium guayaba and Lippia dulcis. Decoction or infusion of the plants were used in the "in vitro" experiments. The following plants showed no "in vitro" effect against V. cholerae: Cichorium intybus, Althaea officinalis, Psorela glandulosa, Geranium maculatum, Chenopodium ambrosoides, Krameria triandria, Psidium guayaba, Lippia dulcis and Daucus carota. Decoction of Malus sativa and Cydenia oblonga showed bactericidal effect for their acidity and stone avocado (Persea gratissima) a late bactericidal effect. Tea infusion and the decoction of Punica granatum peel, showed the best bactericidal effect and we suggest to use them as to stop cholera spreading. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€