Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 169-194) Also available in print.

Herbs have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history, and even now such herbalism is still widely practiced around the world. Most frequently and traditionally, water is used as the extraction solvent for preparing medicinal herbs to generate decoction or infusion for medicinal purpose. In other words, in most cases, multiple chemical components in water extracts should be responsible for therapeutic (toxic and side, if any) effects of medicinal herbs. Phytochemical analysis of water extracts for quality control of medicinal herbs is therefore important to ensure their safeties and efficacies. Unfortunately, however, it is not given enough attention in the modern research whereas the relative current studies are intensively focused on organic solvent-extracts of medicinal herbs. In this project, analysis of medicinal herbs’ water extracts is thus focused. Various analytical approaches have been exhaustively developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemicals in water extracts of medicinal herbs. However, many research challenges in methodology still exist. Polysaccharides and small molecules are two most important kinds of chemcials in water extracts of medicinal herbs, so they also widely regarded as markers for quality evaluation. For analysis of small molecules, the levels of quantitative determination are always far unsatisfactory, normally less than 10%. For analysis of polysaccharides, the existed problems are even more serious in both sample preparation and chemical analysis. Ethanol precipitation is always the first step for crude polysaccharide preparation. But it is just directly used without optimization and its capacity has never been evaluated. Following that, chemical analysis of natural polysaccharide also suffers severe methodological bottlenecks and many drawbacks occurre in qualitative and quantitative characterization. Besides, polysaccharides and small molecules in medicinal herbs are always individually investigated but hardly studied together before. Concerning these issues, here several approaches and stratigies were accordingly proposed to improve the current situations using decoctions of some traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) as the research objects and examples. In detail, first, a quantitative method was developed for quality evaluation of Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang. In this study, quantitative levels of small molecules were greatly improved, compared with the current analogous studies for quality evaluation of medicinal herbs. Then, shifting to polysaccharides, availability of ethanol precipitation for natural polysaccharide precipitation was critically evaluated. Parameters which could affect the ethanol precipitation results, such as structural features, molecular size of polysaccharide, and ethanol concentration were systematically investigated. Successively, a novel and rapid HPGPC-based strategy for quality control of saccharide-dominant medicinal herbs was proposed using Dendrobium officinale as the example. Polysaccharides in the decoction of Dendrobium officinale were qualitatively and quantitatively determined. The methodological superiority of the developed method compared with conventional approaches was highlighted. To facilitate this study, research on chemistry, bioactivity and quality control of Dendrobium was systematically reviewed in advance. After that, small molecules and polysaccharides in in Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Chuanxiong Rhizoma were compared together. Lastly, effects of ginseng polysaccharides on the in vivo pharmacokinetics of ginsenoside Rg1 on induced immunosuppressive model rats was investigated to provide a chemically holistic view for Du-Shen-Tang. By these studies, the above mentioned predicament in chemical analysis on both small molecuels and polysaccharides in water extracts of medicinal herbs were methodologically improved to varying degrees. Concerning small molecules and polysaccharides from multiple perspectives, the successive studies are helpful for enhancing quality evaluation and scientific understanding of medicinal herbs’ decoctions.

Thesis (M.Pharm.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2013. / Over 100 southern African medicinal plants with dermatological relevance have been identified, yet very limited scientific research to support claims for their effectiveness have been undertaken. With this in mind, a study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial properties of southern African medicinal plants used to treat skin inflictions, with specific emphasis on dermatologically relevant pathogens. Organic and aqueous extracts (132) were prepared from 47 plant species and screened for antimicrobial properties using the micro-titre plate dilution method. Most of the plant extracts demonstrated pathogen specific antimicrobial effects with a few exhibiting broad-spectrum activities. Plants demonstrating notable (MIC values ≤ 1.00 mg/ml) broad-spectrum activities against the tested pathogens include the organic extracts of Aristea ecklonii, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Diospyros mespiliformis, Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Gunnera perpensa, Harpephyllum caffrum, Hypericum perforatum, Melianthus comosus, Terminalia sericea and Warburgia salutaris. The organic extract of E. elephantina, a plant reportedly used to treat acne vulgaris, demonstrated noteworthy antimicrobial activity against Propionibacterium acnes (MIC value of 0.05 mg/ml). Diospyros mespiliformis reported for its traditional use to treat ringworm, also displayed noteworthy antimicrobial activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (MIC 0.10 mg/ml) and Microsporum canis (MIC 0.50 mg/ml). The study also focused on finding a scientific rationale for the traditional use of plant combinations to treat skin diseases. Five different plant combinations (1:1) were investigated for potential interactive properties, which were identified through ƩFIC calculations. Since the 1:1 combination of Pentanisia prunelloides and Elephantorrhiza

Thesis (M.Pharm.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2013. / Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a global concern and more specifically southern Africa has seen a tremendous upsurge in infection rates. KwaZulu-Natal is the province found to have the highest Human Immunodeficiency Virus and STI infection rates. From an ethnobotanical study conducted specifically in northern Maputaland (Mabibi, Tshongwe, Mseleni and Mbazwana), it was found that the lay people most often used plants in various combinations for the treatment of STI related symptoms. The use of these plant combinations were thus antimicrobially investigated and the toxicity properties determined. The dichloromethane: methanol (organic) and aqueous extracts were prepared for each plant in situ using collected ground dried plant material. The plants (individually and in combination) were investigated for toxic potential using the 3-[4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazol-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cellular viability assay on the human kidney epithelial (Graham) cell line. The antimicrobial activities for each sample, as well as for each combination, were then further investigated using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. The six STI pathogens investigated in this study were Candida albicans (ATCC 10321), Ureaplasma urealyticum (clinical strain), Oligella ureolytica (ATCC 43534), Gardnerella vaginalis (ATCC 14018), Trichomonas vaginalis (clinical strain) and Neisseria gonnorhoeae (ATCC 19424).

Xihuangcao is a folk medicinal herb used in southern China with three botanical origins: Isodon lophanthoides (IL), I. lophanthoides var. graciliflorus (ILG) and I. serra (IS). They are often used indiscriminately, numerous commercially available herbal products list Xihuangcao as an ingredient without listing the source. This situation has led to a growing concern about the differentiation and quality evaluation of Xihuangcao. To address this concern, a systematic study was conducted to identify the origin. The study is divided into five parts, which aimed to establish and apply the authentication methods of the origins. Four Isodon species were recorded in research papers as the plant sources. However, a new classification suggested in 2004 and two of the IL varieties were merged. In the ancient herbal documents, ILG was first recorded as the origin plant. IL was the major species in the ancient texts, IS was only listed as an additional sources in recent herbal references. The“yellow juices which proven to be the exudates of glandular scales was the key identification features recorded. Macroscopic and microscopic studies provided identification features of the three Isodon species. IL and ILG share very similar features, but IS can be easily distinguished. By morphological features, IL and ILG can be distinguished by the shape of leaves, which IL has a broader leaves than ILG; IS can be identified by its very bitter taste and broadly winged petioles. By microscopic features, IL and ILG have a tiny difference in the shape of epidermal cells of leaf, and IS can be recognized by small raphides of calcium oxalate. In the UPLC-MS fingerprinting and tissue-specific profiling, the chemical profiles the three species were revealed. The chemical profiles of IL and ILG were similar, while IS has its specific chemical profiles. Twenty-seven characteristic peaks were chosen and showed a good distinction of the three species. The tissue-specific profiling of leaves showed the diterpenoids of all the species were accumulated only in the glandular scales. Lipidomics study on IL, ILG and IS was also conducted. A total of 92 lipids were identified. The variation of lipid profiles of the three Isodon species was further quantified, the results showed that the contents of the lipids in the three Isodon species varied. Statistical analyses showed IS has distinctly different lipid profile, while that of IL and ILG are very similar. Finally, the methods of macroscopic microscopic authentication and UPLC-MS fingerprinting were applied in identifying the source species of commercial Xihuangcao products. Twenty-seven batches of Xihuangcao decoction pieces were identified, results showed ILG is the major source of the collected samples. The ingredients in eight Xihuangcao herbal tea bags were also identified. IS is the major species, and none of the samples match their labels. The study provided valuable information on the authentication and quality control of folk medicinal herb Xihuangcao. The work also provided fundamental information on further studies on the chemical constituents of IL and ILG, also and role of lipids in the production of bioactive diterpenoids in Isodon species

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-20T12:22:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jolemia C N das Chagas.pdf: 2457646 bytes, checksum: af14c46355777961940211ad36255ad1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In the Amazon floodplain ecosystem, farming systems developed by smallholders are made and represented by a variety of useful plant species, which are maintained and managed in accordance with the water cycle of the Amazon River. Among the relevant types of agricultural crops in homegardens, for example, there is the cultivation of herbs and spices, which are largely responsible for the generation of income in local rural communities. In this context, taking into consideration the importance of not only economic, but above all social, cultural and food plants of these species, this study sought to characterize the farming systems of herbs and spices in the communities of Santa Luzia do Baixio (Iranduba) and San Francisco community (Careiro da Várzea).Therefore this research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the reality of agricultural riparian caboclos who grow these plant species. Given that the communities in focus are among the leading producers of vegetables, medicinal and fruit that supply the marketing centers (fairs, markets) in the metropolitan region of Manaus. That research was characterized as descriptive, and tools for data collection were: participatory meetings, socioeconomic form, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, oral histories, and georeferencing. The information generated from the use of research tools have gone through the process of ordering and sequencing data, tabulation and construction of charts, tables, summaries and storage in a database for later analysis. Thus, the methodology allowed to obtain the following results: The cultivation of herbs and spices in family units are performed in the subsystem miscellaneous production (yard agroforestry), interspersed with other species. The production system of herbs and spices is maintained by farmers through the maintenance and conservation of the species through the exchange of plant species (seedlings, cuttings, tiller) and storage of seeds from the plant itself. Among the forms of persistence of farmers in their agricultural practices are: traditional knowledge that is perpetuated in the conviviality of the younger to the older, labor, family labor, the main responsible for the crops, women, and agricultural diversity that assist in income, food and culture maintenance of riparian caboclos. However, during the cultivations, there are limiting factors, among them: the seasonality of the river, where the agricultural use of land is determined by water levels. / Em ecossistema de várzea amazônica, os sistemas de cultivo desenvolvidos por agricultores familiares, são compostos e representados por uma diversidade de espécies vegetais úteis, que são mantidas e manejadas em conformidade com o ciclo das águas do rio Amazonas. Dentre os tipos relevantes de cultivos agrícolas nos quintais agroflorestais, por exemplo, há o cultivo de espécies de plantas medicinais aromáticas e condimentares, as quais são responsáveis em grande parte pela geração de renda nas comunidades rurais locais. Neste contexto, levando-se em consideração a importância, não só econômica, mas sobretudo social, cultural e alimentícia destas espécies de plantas, esta pesquisa objetiva caracterizar os sistemas de cultivo das plantas medicinais aromáticas e condimentares nas comunidades de Santa Luzia do Baixio (Iranduba) e comunidade São Francisco (Careiro da Várzea). Sendo assim esta pesquisa visa contribuir para um melhor entendimento acerca da realidade agrícola dos caboclos ribeirinhos que cultivam estas espécies de plantas. Tendo em vista que as comunidades em foco estão entre as principais produtoras de hortaliças, medicinais e frutíferas que abastecem os centros de comercialização (feiras, mercados) da região metropolitana de Manaus. A referida pesquisa caracterizou-se como descritiva, e as ferramentas para a coleta de dados foram as seguintes: reuniões participativas, formulário socioeconômico, entrevista semi-estruturada, observação participante, relatos orais, e Georreferenciamento. As informações geradas a partir da utilização dos instrumentos de pesquisa, passaram por processo de ordenação e sequenciamento de dados, tabulação e construção de quadros, tabelas, resumos e armazenamento em banco de dados para posterior análise. Desta forma, a metodologia utilizada permitiu a obtenção dos seguintes resultados: Os cultivos de plantas aromáticas e condimentares nas unidades familiares são realizados em miscelânea no subsistema de produção (quintal agroflorestal), intercaladas com outras espécies. O sistema de produção das plantas medicinais, aromáticas e condimentares é mantido pelos agricultores familiares através da manutenção e conservação das espécies através de trocas de espécies vegetais (mudas, estacas, perfilho) e armazenamento de sementes retiradas do próprio plantio. Dentre as formas de persistência dos agricultores em suas práticas agrícolas, estão: conhecimento tradicional que é perpetuado no convívio dos mais novos com os mais velhos, a mão-de-obra familiar, sendo as principais responsáveis pelos cultivos, as mulheres, e a diversidade agrícola que auxiliam na renda, alimentação e manutenção da cultura dos caboclos ribeirinhos. No entanto, durante os cultivos, existem os fatores limitantes, dentre os quais: a sazonalidade do rio, no qual o uso agrícola do solo é determinado pelo nível das águas.