title: Antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of selected medicinal plants from Yemen.
abstract: Ninety crude extracts, including dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous extracts from 30 medicinal plants used in the Yemeni ethnomedicine to treat common infections, were screened in vitro for antimicrobial activities against three Gram-positive bacteria and two Gram-negative bacteria, Candida maltosa and five opportunistic human fungal pathogens (two yeasts, three hyphomycetes). Most of the plants showed antibacterial activities. Extracts from Tamarindus indica flowers and Ficus vasta fruits have been the most active. Of the 30 plants tested, 13 showed antifungal activity (40%) against one ore more human pathogenic fungi. The strongest inhibition was exhibited by Azima tetracantha (fruits), Sansevieria ehrenbergii (fruits) and Solanum incanum (fruits). Ten methanol extracts, especially those of Acacia asak barks and Solanum nigrum fruits, showed effective free radical scavenging activities in the DPPH assay. Remarkable cytotoxic activity against FL-cells was shown only for five plants, among them Plicosepalus curviflorus (stems).
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Pharmacy Section, Department of Pharmacognosy, Aden University, Aden, Yemen.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Fatimi
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wurster
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schröder
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lindequist
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D002460:Cell Line; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D015006:Yemen
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D005609:Free Radicals; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl