Preliminary screening of some traditional zulu medicinal plants for anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities

Aqueous and methanolic extracts from different parts of nine traditional Zu lu medicinal plants, of the Vitaceae from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were evaluated for therapeutic potential as anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial agents. Of the twenty-nine crude extracts assayed for prostaglandin synthe sis inhibitors, only five methanolic extracts of Cyphostemma natalitium-roo t, Rhoicissus digitata-leaf, Ii. rhomboidea-root, Ii. tomentosa-leaf/stem a nd Ii. tridentata-root showed significant inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase (CO X-I). The extracts of Ii. digitata-leaf and of Ii. rhomboidea-root exhibite d the highest inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis with 53 and 56%, respec tively. The results suggest that Rhoicissus digitata leaves and of Rhoiciss us rhomboidea roots may have the potential to be used as anti-inflammatory agents. All the screened plant extracts showed some degrees of anti-microbi al activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. The met hanolic extracts of C. natalitium-stem and root, Ii. rhomboidea-root, and I i. tomentosa-leaf/stem, showed different anti-microbial activities against almost all micro-organisms tested. Generally, these plant extracts inhibite d the Gram-positive micro-organisms more than the Gram-negative ones. Sever al plant extracts inhibited the growth of Candida albicans while only one p lant extract showed inhibitory activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A ll the plant extracts which demonstrated good anti-inflammatory activities also showed better inhibitory activity against Candida albicans. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.