In Vitro tests for immunomodulatory effects of medicinal plants used in the treatment of Malaria in South Africa
Using the ethno-medicinal data approach, nine South African plants used traditionally in the treatment of malaria were collected and evaluated for cytotoxic and lymphocyte-proliferating effects. These included Acokanthera oppositofolia, Zanthoxylum capense, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Harpephyllum caffrum, Lippia javanica, Pentanisia prunneloides, Psidium guajava, Typha capensis and Cannabis sativa. The cytotoxic effect of the aqueous, methanol and dichloromethane extracts of these plants was evaluated in vitro in Rat-1 fibroblasts there was no observable difference in cytotoxic activity between cold-and hot-water extracts of all the plants investigated. Cell proliferation greater than 80% was observed for aqueous extracts of A. oppositofolia, H. caffrum, L. javanica, P. prunneloides, P. guajava and T. capensis which would suggest are considered safe for consumption. However, high cytotoxic effect was exhibited by dichloromethane extracts of Z. capense, L. javanica, C. sativa and P. guajava at 100 μg/ml. These findings suggest that dichloromethane extracted compounds that are not normally extractable by traditional methods.
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