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Exotic multifaceted
medicinal plants of drugs and pharmaceutical industries
Donatus Ebere Okwu* and Nnamdi Fred Uchenna
Department
of Chemistry, Michael Okpara University of Agricultural
Umudike, P.M.B. 7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
Okwudonatus@yahoo.com.
Abbreviations: OCS, Oxidative chemical species;
HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C
virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus.
Accepted
14 December, 2009 |
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Cassia
alata
Linn,
Nauclea latifolia, Clerodendron splendens and
Bryophyllum pinnatum are some of the Nigerian exotic
medicinal plants. These plants not only acts as ornamental
but also exhibit antiviral, antifungal, antimalarial,
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. They are
sources of drugs and are used in herbal medicine to treat
measles, malaria, asthma, eczema, cough, hepatitis,
ringworm, ulcer and scabies. These plants are continuously
screened and evaluated for their pharmacological properties.
Bioactive compounds comprising flavanoids, alkaloids,
steroids, terpenoids and saponins have been isolated and
characterized from the plants and are responsible for their
biological activity. The importance of these bioactive
compounds available in these plants are discussed with
respect to their role in herbal medicine in Nigeria.
Key
words:
Medicinal plants, antiviral, antifungal, antimalarial,
antibacterial, antioxidants, immunomodulators. |
