Investigation of medicinal plants of Togo for antiviral and antimicrobial activities

• Published in: Pharmaceutical biology Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 40 - 45
• Main Authors: Anani, K, Hudson, J.B, Souza, C. de, Akpagana, K, Tower, G.H.N, Arnason, J.T, Gbeassor, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lisse Swets & Zeitlinger 2000
• Subjects: Adansonia digitata; antibacterial properties; antifungal properties; antiviral properties; Biological and medical sciences; Conyza aegyptiaca; General pharmacology; Herpes simplex virus; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; Palisota hirsuta; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; plant extracts; Poliovirus; Sindbis virus; Togo; traditional medicine; Togo (Africa); Togo; Africa; Antibiotic; Folk medicine; Pharmacognosy; Plant origin; Antiviral; Antibacterial agent; In vitro; Biological activity; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 1388-0209; 1744-5116
• DOI: 10.1076/1388-0209(200001)38:1;1-B;FT040

Methanol extracts were prepared from 19 medicinal plants of Togo and, by means of standard laboratory tests, were analysed for antiviral and antibiotic activities. Ten of the 19 showed significant antiviral activity and all but two displayed antibiotic activity. Extracts of three species, Adansonia digitata (the most potent), Conyza aegyptiaca and Palisota hirsuta , were active against all three test viruses (herpes simplex, Sindbis and poliovirus). The other seven, however, were more selective, showing activity against only one or two viruses. The antibiotic profiles varied considerably. The observation that each extract showed a distinctive permutation of target organisms suggests that different bioactive phytochemicals are present in each species. Only two of the extracts were devoid of bioactivity.