Antibacterial Activity and Organoleptic Properties ofSideritis clandestina

Abstract

Planta Med. 57, Supplement Issue 2 1991 A45 drugs for treating the disease. The limitations of, and problems associated with, the treatment of human and animal trypanosomiasis have been extensively reviewed (1). However, in Africa, the debilitating effects of the disease, and its devastating toll on livestock as well as humans, is very real. As part of our general screening of naturally occurring compounds with biological activity, we have examined a number of compounds for possible anti-trypanosomal activity, using mice infected with the drug-sensitive stabilates of 7'rypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma evans/i developed at the Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute. Five pure compounds isolated from various plants were tested. These were crotepoxide from Cro ton macrostachyus, 9methoxychelerythrine from Zoo thoxylum c/zolybeum and its chloride derivative, rutin from Bricleliaferruginea, and dihydrowisaoine from Piper guineeose. Preliminary tests were carried out using 80mg/kg body weight of the substances. Suramin (20 mg/kg) and berenil (3.5 mg/kg) were used as standards. 70 mice weighing between 20-25g were divided into 7 groups of 10 and inoculated with the known drug-sensitive stabilates of the trypanosomes (KETRI-2401-Tb T. brocei and KETRI 2449 Tb T. eeansii). When parasitaemia was established, 5 out often mice in each group were treated ip. with suramin, berenil, and each of the test compounds. The remaining five were left untreated as controls. The treated mice were then observed for an average of up to 30 days. The test compounds showing signs of activity were then used for further investigation. At 80mg/kg, 9-methoxychelerythrine chloride proved lethal to the mice, while its free base had no significant effect on parasitaemia. Crotepoxide, rutin, and dihydrowisanine suppressed parasitaemia to some extent, but did not clear the parasites. The suppression lasted 3 days for dihydrowisanine, 4 days or crotepoxide, and 15 days for rutin. These compounds were then tested again at 100 mg/kg. At this dose, rutin suppressed parasitemia for 10-15 days, while the number of days by crotepoxide rose from 4 to 9 days. Subsequent death after single dose treatment was found not to be due to drug toxicity, but due to a relapse in the parasitaemia. These preliminary results indicate that both rutin and crotepoxide have some trypanosidal activity when administered as a single dose, and need to be further investigated. Divided doses over a short period, or at shorter intervals, as well as tests at lower doses of the compounds which proved lethal to the animals at higher doses, need to be carried out. Work in this regard is still continuing.

Αντιμετώπιση των ριζόκομβων νηματωδών (Meloidogyne incognita) σε θερμοκηπιακές καλλιέργειες με φυσικά προϊόντα και μελέτη της χημικής σύστασης αυτών

“…Αναπτύσσεται σε ποικιλία εδαφών με ευρέα όρια τιμών pH (6-8), έχει ελάχιστες απαιτήσεις σε θρεπτικά συστατικά και αντέχει την ξηρασία. Πολλαπλασιάζεται με το σπόρο και με διαίρεση (Κουτσός, 2006 (Kassi et al, 2004), αντιοξειδωτική (Kaliora and Andrikopoulos, 2005), αντιβακτηριακή (Schneider et al, 1991), αντιφλεγμονώδης και δράση κατά του καρκίνου. Ουσίες που περιέχει και του προσδίδουν τις παραπάνω ιδότητες είναι τα διτερπενοειδή, τα φλαβονοειδή, και τα τερπένια συστατικά των αιθερίων ελαίων του.…”