Jatropha integerrima Jacq., family: Euphorbiaceae, is used in India and subtropical Africa to treat different skin conditions. In this study we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of J. integerrima leaves extract (JILE) using rat paw edema model. The extract was administered orally (200 and 400 mg/kg) or applied topically as creams at 2.5, 5, and 10% strength. Four hours post-treatment, maximum reduction of edema volume by 63.09% was observed after oral administration of JILE (400 mg/kg) as compared to indomethacin with 60.43%. The extract anti-inflammatory effect was accompanied by a decrease in NO, prostaglandin PGE2, TNF-a and PKC levels by 19, 29.35, 16.9, and 47.83%, respectively. Additionally, topical applications of JILE showed dose dependent reduction in paw edema and resulted in normalized levels of PGE2, TNF-a, and PKC when used as 10% cream. Signs of inflammations were reduced or absent from paw tissue of animals receiving JILE either orally or topically. Finally, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of JILE resulted in the annotation of 133 metabolites including 24 diterpenoids, 19 flavonoids, 10 phenolic acid conjugates, 8 cyclic peptides, 6 phytosterols, 4 sesquiterpenes, and 4 coumarins. Several of the annotated metabolites have known anti-inflammatory activity including vitexin, isovitexin, fraxitin, scopeltin, stigmasterol, and many diterpenoidal derivatives.

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit and oil are traditionally used for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. We investigated chemical variability between two avocado cultivars (Duke and Fuerte) in relation to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Duke cultivar showed higher β-carotene and α-tocopherol content but significantly lower lipid content (36% dry weight) compared to Fuerte (52% dry weight). The ethanolic extract of Duke cultivar showed good antioxidant properties in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay with IC 50 at 27.21 μg/ml, while that of Fuerte showed weak activity. Meanwhile, in rat paw edema anti-inflammatory model, Duke oil (15 mg/kg) was slightly more effective in reducing inflammation by 41.12% after 1 h compared to Fuerte oil (15 mg/kg). However, after 4 h, both oils showed comparable inhibition of edema by 35.39% and 34.14% (15 mg/kg). The study underscores that variability in chemical composition of different avocado cultivars could affect biological activities attributed to the fruit and its oil.

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Markhamialutea (Benth) K. Schum is an evergreen tree, commonly known as the Bell Bean Tree or Nile Tulip. It is widely distributed throughout tropical regions of Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, and Namibia.M. lutea uses in folk medicine and the different extracts of leaves, stems, barks , and roots possess various pharmacological activities. The purpose of this review is providing a complete and updated review on morphology, the active constituents of different parts of M. lutea such as sterols, triterpenoids, phenylpropanoid glycosides and flavonoids and their antioxidant, antiprotozoal, antiviral, antimicrobial effects and anticancer activities. Cycloartanetriterpenoids were predicted to possess anti-dementia activity using the Pass Online Web Resource.

Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) has been successfully propagated in Egypt for the commercial production of avocado fruits. Four cultivars (one pure Mexican and three Mexican-Guatemalan hybrids) were investigated for the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of their leaves' essential oils. The hydro-distilled oils from Bacon, Duke, Ettinger and Pinkerton cultivars were analyzed using Gas Chromatography/ Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and Gas Chromatography/ Flame Ionization Detector (GC/FID). Total of 20 compounds were identified with estragole, methyl eugenol and -pinene as the major constituents. Chemometric analysis performed on the GC/FID data indicated close similarity between the essential oils of Bacon and Ettinger cultivars, while that of the Duke cultivar was the most distant. This classification was further supported by comparative DNA fingerprinting using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Essential oils of all cultivars had no antifungal activity against Candida albicans or Aspergillus niger but showed good antimicrobial activities against Streptococcus mutans and Salmonella typhimurium with IC50 values between 0.4 and 20 L/mL