Medicinal Plants, Traditional Knowledge

Plants have been used since ancient times as an important source of biologically active substances. The aim of the present study was to investigate the phytochemical constituents (flavonoids and phenolics), antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity against HepG2 (human hepato carcinoma) cancer cell lines, and the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extract of selected traditional medicinal plants collected from Mizoram, India. A number of phenolic compounds were detected using HPLC-DAD-ESI-TOF-MS, mainly Luteolin, Kaempferol, Myricetin, Gallic Acid, Quercetin and Rutin, some of which have been described for the first time in the selected plants. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents showed high variation ranging from 4.44 to 181.91 µg of Gallic Acid equivalent per milligram DW (GAE/mg DW) and 3.17 to 102.2 µg of Quercetin/mg, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH (IC 50 values ranges from 34.22 to 131.4 µg/mL), ABTS (IC 50 values ranges from 24.08 to 513.4 µg/mL), and reducing power assays. Antimicrobial activity was assayed against gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus), gram negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and yeast (Candida albicans) demonstrating that the methanol extracts of some plants were efficacious antimicrobial agents. Additionally, cytotoxicity was assessed on human hepato carcinoma (HepG2) cancer cell lines and found that the extracts of Albizia lebbeck, Dillenia indica, and Bombax ceiba significantly decreased the cell viability at low concentrations with IC 50 values of 24.03, 25.09, and 29.66 µg/mL, respectively. This is the first report of detection of phenolic compounds along with antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of selected medicinal plants from India, which indicates that these plants might be valuable source for human and animal health.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Family: Solanaceae, commonly known as Ashwagandha, English name: Winter cherry) is an important perennial plant species with immense therapeutic uses in traditional as well as modern system of medicine (Datta et.al., 2010). Due to restorative property of roots, the species is also known as ‘Winter cherry’(Tripathi, et.al., 1996; Andallu & Radhika, 2000, Winters, 2006). The Indian Himalayan region (BHR), one of the richest reservoirs of biological diversity in the world, is undergoing irrational extraction of wild, medicinal herbs, thus endangering many of its high value gene stock. Withonia somnifera L. (Dunal) is a member of solanaceae, also known for thousands of years by Ayurvedic practitioners. Withania somnifera root contains flavonoids, alkaloids, steroid and many active functional ingredients (Kumar, et.al., 2015). Withania sominifera having small white flowers mainly in rainy and winter seasons that can be develop into fruit during the winter seasons. Plants products can be obtained from the roots, leaves, and branches, by using many different biological techniques. Withania which is also known as Ashwagandha having effective property can also used in blends and supplements which are designed to show many multiple effects. It is described as an herbal tonic and health food in Vedas and considered as ‘Indian Ginseng’ in traditional Indian system of medicine (Singh, et.al., 2001).
Key words: Winter cherry, perennial plant, Winter cherry, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroid, herbal tonic, biological diversity etc.

Distributions of endophytic fungi associated with ethnomedicinal plant Melastoma
malabathricum L.was studied and 91 isolates belonging to 18 genera were recovered. The isolates
were distributed to sordariomycetes (62.63%), dothideomycetes (19.78%), eurotiomycetes
(7.69%), , agaricomycetes (1.09%), and mycelia sterilia (4.39%). Based on
colony morphology and examination of spores, the isolates were classified into 18 taxa, of which
Colletotrichum, Phomopsis and Phoma were dominant, their relative frequencies were 23.07%,
17.58% and 12.08% respectively. The colonization rate of endophytic fungi was determined and
found to be significantly higher in leaf segments (50.76%), followed by root (41.53%) and stem
tissues (27.69%). All the isolates were screened for antimicrobial activity and revealed that
26.37% endophytic fungi were active against one or more pathogens. Twenty four isolates
showing significant antimicrobial activity were identified by sequencing the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2
region of rRNA gene. Results indicated that endophytic fungi associated with leaf were
functionally versatile as they showed antimicrobial activity against most of the tested pathogens.
The endophytic fungi Diaporthe phaseolorum var. meridionalis (KF193982) inhibited all the
tested bacterial pathogens, whereas, Penicillium chermesinum (KM405640) displayed most
significant antifungal activity. This seems to be the first hand report to understand the distribution
and antimicrobial ability of endophytic fungi from ethno-medicinal plant M. malabathricum.

Resumen En Ecuador el acelerado contagio de la enfermedad producida por coronavirus (COVID-19) fue desatendida desde el ámbito de salud pública, las prioridades del gobierno no se dirigieron hacia las poblaciones más vulnerables, por lo que al inicio de la pandemia las comunidades indígenas de la región amazónica fueron fuertemente impactadas. El presente artículo analiza las estrategias de una familia indígena kichwa para enfrentar la enfermedad, describiendo mediante narraciones etnográficas las experiencias relacionadas al contagio y propagación del virus en la Amazonía ecuatoriana. El conocimiento sobre prácticas curativas, remedios antiguos que curaron otras pandemias y la incorporación de nuevos remedios permitieron hacer tolerable la enfermedad, disminuyendo notablemente el porcentaje de mortalidad en comparación con espacios urbanos.

"This study argues that ‘regime complexes’ and ‘policy coherence’ are two faces of the same integrative process. The development of regime complexes co-evolves with the pressures on decision makers to coordinate their policies in various issue-areas. Conceptually, we introduce a typology of policy coherency (erratic, strategic, functionalistic, and systemic) according to its procedural and substantive components. Empirically, by triangulating quantitative and qualitative data, we use this typology for the case of the genetic resources’ regime complex to illustrate the links between regime complexes and policy coherency. Our results suggest that  a coherent policymaking process favours integrated regime complexes, while greater exposure to a regime complex increases the pressure to have a coherent policymaking. This study fills a gap in the literature on regime complexes by providing a micro-macro model linking structure to agency. "

HATUN TINKUY Ciclo Vital en los pueblos Andinos
Vida y Muerte, Salud y Enfermedad en el Pensamiento Andino

Fecha : Lunes 11 y Martes 12 de Mayo 2015
Horario: 08:00 am - 19:00 pm.
Lugar : Auditorio Ccori Wasi de la URP
Av. Arequipa 5198, Miraflores, Lima, Perú

Los invitamos a este seminario especial que contará con la participación de reconocidos ponentes y especialistas en la materia como Ruth Shady, Luis Millones Santagadea, Jaime Regan, Krysztof Makowski, Teresa Salinas, Susana Ramirez Hita, entre otros distinguidos invitados.

Inscripción e informaciones:
Colegio Médico del Perú, Srta. Melissa Telf. 446-4187 Anexo 203.
Entrada libre previa inscripción.

Los esperamos!!

Organiza: Subcomité de Medicina Tradicional del Colegio Médico del Perú.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sub-Comite-de-Medicina-Tradicional-del-Colegio-Medico-del-Peru/150490171667256

https://www.facebook.com/events/455397647959777/

The burden of neoplastic diseases is a significant global health challenge accounting for thousands of deaths. In Uganda, about 32,617 cancer cases were reported in 2018, accompanied by 21,829 deaths. In a view to identify some potential anticancer plant candidates for possible drug development, the current study was designed to compile the inventory of plants with reported anticancer activity used in rural Uganda and the evidences supporting their use in cancer therapy. An electronic survey in multidisciplinary databases revealed that 29 plant species belonging to 28 genera distributed among 24 families have been reported to be used in the management of cancer in Uganda. Anticancer plants were majorly from the families Bignoniaceae (7%), Caricaceae (7%), Fabaceae (7%), Moraceae (7%), and Rutaceae (7%). Most species occur in the wild (52%), though some are cultivated (48%). The growth habit of the plants is as trees (55%) or herbs (45%). Anticancer extracts are usually prepared from leaves (29%), bark (24%), roots (21%), and fruits (13%) through decoctions (53%), as food spices (23%) or pounded to produce ointments that are applied topically (10%). Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, Opuntia species, Albizia coriaria (Welw. ex Oliver), Daucus carota L., Cyperus alatus (Nees) F. Muell., Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K. Schum., and Oxalis corniculata L. were the most frequently encountered species. As per global reports, Allium sativum L., Annona muricata L., Carica papaya L., Moringa oleifera Lam., Opuntia species, Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. are the most studied species, with the latter having vincristine and vinblastine anticancer drugs developed from it. Prostate, cervical, breast, and skin cancers are the top traditionally treated malignancies. There is a need to isolate and evaluate the anticancer potential of the bioactive compounds in the unstudied claimed plants, such as Cyperus alatus (Nees) F. Muell., Ficus dawei Hutch., Ficus natalensis Hochst., and Lovoa trichilioides Harms, and elucidate their mechanism of anticancer activity.